WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange granted bail

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange today succeeded in securing a bail at a British court where he appeared in connection with a case of sexual misconduct.

The embattled whistleblower who was accused of sexual misconduct by two women in Sweden is resisting an extradition claim by the country.

Granting him bail on an amount of 240,000 pounds, the court ordered Assange to adhere to strict bail conditions.

The 39-year-old Australian, who has earned the wrath of the US for leaking a huge cache of secret diplomatic documents, has been imprisoned for a week now after he gave himself up to Scotland Yard in London.

However, he is not expected to be released immediately as prosecutors are considering whether to challenge the court ruling.

The WikiLeaks founder appeared in the Westminster Magistrate's court amid scenes of bedlam outside the court where his supporters protested to seek his release.

Assange denies sexually assaulting the two women in Sweden.

Assange was refused bail last week despite the offer of sureties from figures including film director Ken Loach, journalist John Pilger and Jemima Khan, ex-wife of Pakistan cricketer Imran Khan.

A number of protesters gathered outside the court ahead of the hearing.

They were joined outside the court by a large crowd of reporters and a number of Assange's high-profile supporters.

In his first appearance at court last week, District Judge Howard Riddle refused Assange bail on grounds that he could flee.

In recent weeks, WikiLeaks has published a series of US diplomatic cables revealing secret documents sent by US diplomats stationed around the world.

The scene outside the court was one of controlled bedlam as protesters and police mixed with large number of international media.

Some demonstrators wore masks representing comic book hero V, from V for Vendetta, and others used scarves to conceal their identity.

Many carried placards mocking the British and Swedish authorities as well as black and white images of Assange.

Others gave out leaflets campaigning for an end to the 'unfair' European Arrest warrant and outlining support for the free flow of information.

Earlier today, Assange backed the cyber attacks on Visa, Mastercard and Paypal from his prison cell, branding the companies 'instruments of US foreign policy'.

He gave a written statement to his mother, Christine, when she visited him in London where he is in custody fighting extradition to Sweden for alleged sex offences.

Speaking to reporters outside the court, Assange's lawyer Mark Stevens said that his client has been granted bail but the problematic condition is that it requires the payment of the bond amount in cash, suggesting that it might take more time to gather it.

"That's an awful lot of money and its a pity that he can't use Mastercard or Visa in order to assist him to arrange that and in terms of that its clearly going to take us an inordinately long period of time to gather that together," he said.

Stevens said one of the reasons Assange had chosen to fight the case in the UK was his belief in British justice.

"... and of course he has been encouraged in that today," he said after the court granted a bail.