Wikileaks founder Julian Assange has the bank account details of as many as 2000 prominent people after of a former Swiss banker has passed on data in London.
The information – is not yet available on the Wikileaks website – was held on two discs handed over by Rudolf Elmer ata the Frontline Club.
Mr Assange has promised full disclosure trough Wikileaks once the information had been vetted.
Mr Elmer is scheduled to go on trial in Switzerland on Wednesday for breaking bank secrecy laws.
The banker, who has given data to Wikileaks before, was fired from Swiss bank Julius Baer in 2002.
Although it has not been not confirmed what activities might be covered by the data, the Wikileaks head noted that previous data from Julius Baer provided by Mr Elmer had concerned tax evasion, the hiding of proceeds of criminal acts and “the protection of assets of those about to fall out of political favour”.
The data covered multinationals, wealthy individuals and financial firms, according to Swiss newspaper Der Sonntag.
Elmer said: “I’m against the system. I know how the system works,” said Mr Elmer at the press conference. He said a sophisticated network existed to funnel illicit money into secret offshore accounts.
“I’ve been there. I’ve done the job. I know what is the day-to-day business,” he said, explaining why he thought it important to identify himself as the source.
He said he was put in prison in Switzerland for 30 days for violating Swiss banking rules, and that he was offered money and the withdrawal of charges against him in order to buy his silence.
The data included the offshore accounts of about 40 politicians, he said, and covered accounts at three banks, including his former employer.
The banker also said that he and his wife had written a letter to German Finance Minister Peer Steinbruck, offering him the data for free, but had received no response.
