The US is reviving a campaign to seek the arrest of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, as part of a broader crackdown against the unauthorised disclosure of classified information, said US attorney-general Jeff Sessions. 

The arrest of Mr Assange was a “priority” for the US Department of Justice, he said. “We are going to step up our effort and already are stepping up our efforts on all leaks,” he said at a press conference in El Paso, Texas. “This is a matter that has gone beyond anything that I’m aware of . . . So, yes, it is a priority. Whenever a case can be made, we will seek to put some people in jail.” 

Mr Sessions spoke a few hours before US media reports said prosecutors were preparing criminal charges against Mr Assange for his role in disclosing diplomatic and intelligence documents. Both the FBI and the DoJ declined to comment.