Julian Assange charged with computer hacking conspiracy

US justice department alleges that Assange conspired with Chelsea Manning to break into a secret Pentagon computer network

Julian Assange has been charged by the US government with conspiracy to commit computer intrusion, according to an indictment released soon after the WikiLeaks founder’s arrest in London.

The US justice department alleged that Assange conspired with Chelsea Manning in 2010 to break into a secret Pentagon computer network in order to obtain classified documents that Assange’s site published.

Assange faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison if convicted.

Prosecutors in Virginia cited online discussions between the two in which Assange was seen “actively encouraging Manning to provide more information”, the Justice Department said.

“During an exchange, Manning told Assange that ‘after this upload, that’s all I really have got left.’ To which Assange replied, ‘curious eyes never run dry in my experience’.”