Wikileaks founder has support of "greatest minds in the world": Step-dad

Canberra, Feb 6 (ANI): Wikileaks founder Julian Assange's stepfather has claimed that the Australian-born journalist has the support of the "greatest minds in the world".

Addressing a rally held at Sydney's Town Hall in support of his 39-year-old stepson, Brett Assange urged people to back the whistleblower website founder as he prepared to face a London court this week, the Sydney Morning Herald reports.

The court will decide whether Julian Assange will be extradited to Sweden to face sexual-related allegations.

Julian Assange was nominated for the Sydney Peace Foundation's Gold Medal and the Nobel Peace Prize last week.

"The greatest minds in the world support him. How the hell could he have done anything wrong?" Brett asked, adding that the Swedish Government had abused his stepson's human and legal rights by "having him in line" for this extradition.

"They should be ready to grant him shelter instead. He's been nominated for a Nobel Prize so how could he be a criminal? He's exposed global corruption everywhere, he's done no harm except to those who do harm the people," he said.

Both Assange's mother and stepfather have criticised Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard for not supporting to their son.

"She's made a huge mistake by disowning him, because he's broken no laws. People say that he's broken laws; Gillard, (Barack) Obama say that he's broken laws. Nobody seems to know what these laws are that he's supposed to have broken," Brett said. (ANI)