By DAVID GARDNER

America is set to bring spying charges against jailed WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, claims his lawyer. US prosecutors are said to be finalising their case against the 39-year-old Australian behind the publication of more than 250,000 secret diplomatic messages. Mr Assange’s lawyer Jennifer Robinson said she understands US charges are ‘imminent’. He is likely to be prosecuted under the Espionage Act, which makes it a crime to receive national defence information if it is known to have been obtained illegally and could be used ‘to the injury of the United States or to the advantage of any foreign nation.’ US Justice Department officials refused to make any comment last night. But Attorney General Eric Holder confirmed earlier this week that he had ordered a criminal probe and claimed the leaks had put America at risk. ‘We have a very serious, active, ongoing investigation that is criminal in nature. I authorised just last week a number of things to be done so that we can hopefully get to the bottom of this and hold people accountable, as they should be,’ he said. Mr Assange is still behind bars in London awaiting an extradition hearing on charges that he raped two women in Sweden. Depending on the outcome of the hearing, the US would then have to launch another extradition bid either in Sweden or the UK. Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1337554/WikiLeaks-founder-J...