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WikiLeaks gets Swiss bank info

Assange goes after tax-dodging billionaire market

A Swiss national, about to go on trial for breaking the country's strict secrecy laws, has handed Julian Assange two CDs containing names of 2,000 holders of secret Swiss bank accounts.

Rudolf Elmer used to be chief operating officer for the Cayman Islands office of the private Swiss bank Julius Baer. Elmer is going on trial in Switzerland on Wednesday, accused of breaking secrecy laws.

He has given information to WikiLeaks before and said today that people needed to know what he knows – that the current banking system is damaging society.

Elmer said today's dossier included names of people from all over the world and included business people and those in the arts.

Assange said it would take about two weeks to check the information. He said it was possible the organisation would work with other bodies, and mentioned the UK's Serious Fraud Office, the BBC reports.

It is possible the information will not be news to Her Majesty's Customs and Revenue service.

Two years ago, the Rev paid £100,000 for information about 100 people with bank accounts in Liechtenstein who were believed to owe the UK more than £100m in unpaid tax.

Assange, meanwhile, is awaiting a hearing on his extradition to Sweden to face charges of sexual misconduct.

Last week, Wikileaks gave $15,000 to Bradley Manning's defence fund – Manning is the man widely reported as the source for the diplomatic cables. ®

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