Julian Assange speaking from the Ecuadorian embassy in London in 2012. The WikiLeaks founder has been in the embassy for two years. Photo: AFP/Leon Neal

Julian Assange is promising another massive leak of information affecting 50 countries on Thursday to mark his two years holed up in the Ecuadorian embassy in London.

On the eve of that anniversary, the Australian editor-in-chief of WikiLeaks invited the worlds media to dial in to the embassy so he could download.

In his conference call late on Wednesday night, Australian time, Assange called former Australian foreign minister Bob Carr a liar; he chastised US President Barack Obama; he revealed he had done more kilometres than he could count on his cross-trainer; and he spoke of his pride in WikiLeaks state-of-the-art technical clout which had allowed him while confined in his diplomatic refuge to manage the evacuation of American intelligence whistleblower Edward Snowden from Hong Kong during the largest ever intelligence manhunt the world has ever seen.

US whistleblower Edward Snowden. Julian Assange claimed to be assisting him from the Ecuador embassy in London Photo: Reuters/NBC News

But Assange is making time to watch the World Cup after 729 days of asylum in the embassy. "Of course, Ecuador undoubtedly deserves to win, he said, although he added Brazil probably would triumph. In any case, the reception in this building is quite difficult, which may have its advantages. Perhaps it makes it a bit harder for the bugs to transmit through the walls as well.

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Assange said police gather intelligence on visitors and that the British government has spent almost $10 million on 24-hour surveillance of the embassy lest he ever dare to leave the small building, close to Harrods in Knightsbridge.

If he does leave, he faces immediate extradition to Sweden, where he is wanted for questioning over alleged sexual misconduct involving two women for which he is yet to be charged after four years. He dismisses it as a trumped-up, politically driven distraction from the main game: the United States, where Vice-President Joe Biden has called him a high-tech terrorist.

Julian Assange said former foreign affairs minister Bob Carr lied about the level of consular assistance offered to the WikiLeaks founder. Photo: Peter Rae

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Julian Assange to release files on 50 countries

Julian Assange has a penchant for spectacular, public fallings out with people he has worked with - from journalists to fellow Wikileakers.

The list of people he has come to loathe includes most of the mainstream media and his celebrity supporters.

But, after two years holed up in the Ecuadorian embassy, he can still count on some allies - despite losing the support of so many, including some of those who put a lot on the line during his legal battle to not be extradited to Sweden.

Here, we list five people who are still Team Assange... and four people who used to be his friends...

Still Friends: Vaughan Smith

Still Friends: John Pilger

Still Friends: Ken Loach

Still Friends: Phillip Knightley

Ok, so weren't quite right when we said Pilger was the only journalist Assange had not fallen out with. Phillip Knightley, the legendary investigative reporter who lost 15,000 when Assange skipped bail, said he did not regret it at all and said Assange sought asylum only after "exhausting every other possible remedy" He said: "I'm not worried about my commitment. I would do it again. He's an Australian and he deserves my compatriot's support. He's been treated terribly by the British and Swedish justice systems and I think he's the victim of a conspiracy."

Drifted Apart: Birgitta Jonsdottir

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Julian Assange's Friends Who Stood By Him - And Friends Who Became Enemies

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WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, speaking from the Ecuadorian Embassy in London, urges the US to end the investigation into WikiLeaks.

Is Julian Assange back in the game? Many media and other observers have written off the WikiLeaks publisher as a diminished, almost comical figure, eking out an existence in Ecuador's London embassy where he has been granted diplomatic asylum.

Assange hasn't seen the sun for two years and it has appeared to many that his anti-secrecy group might also have had its day.

After all, WikiLeaks' biggest hits - the leaked Baghdad helicopter gunship video and the ''cablegate'' trove of US diplomatic records are now three years in the past.

Julian Assange speaks from the Ecuadorean embassy. Photo: AFP/Leon Neal

WikiLeaks' most notable source, US Army private Bradley Manning - now known as Chelsea Manning - has been sentenced to a long term of imprisonment for leaking.

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In a world that craves novelty and where the media cycle turns ever faster, Assange has looked like yesterday's news.

His complex legal circumstances remain unresolved. Sweden still wishes to extradite him to face questioning about sexual assault allegations that were first made in August 2010.

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Julian Assange sidelined, but the leaks continue

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Julian Assange: US Attorney General Eric Holder Should Drop WikiLeaks Investigation or Resign
WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, who has been cloistered inside Ecuador #39;s embassy in London since June 2012, addressed global press via a teleconference on ...

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Julian Assange: US Attorney General Eric Holder Should Drop WikiLeaks Investigation or Resign - Video

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Wikileaks chief Julian Assange is marking his second anniversary holed up inside the Ecuadorian embassy in London. Despite his self-imposed incarceration, there #39;s no sign of the whistleblower...

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John Pilger on Julian Assange #39;s 2 Years Imprisonment
John Pilger on Julian Assange #39;s 2 Years Imprisonment.

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Julian Assange believes there is a "significant risk" of being extradited to the United States if he leaves the Ecuador embassy in London.

Speaking inside the embassy on Thursday on the second anniversary of his dramatic arrival, the WikiLeaks founder made it clear he will remain inside the building until the impasse over his future is broken.

He is wanted for questioning in Sweden over sex allegations by two women but fears being sent to the US if he leaves London.

He told a handful of journalists that threats had been made against his children and his mother since he has been living in the embassy.

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A group of supporters held a vigil outside the embassy to mark the anniversary.

Mr Assange claimed the bill for mounting a round the clock police guard was STG6.5 million ($A11.9 million).

Assange said the work of WikiLeaks was continuing, even though he can not leave the building, adding that money was still being donated to the whistleblowing publisher despite a banking blockade.

He estimated that the ban on collecting money, imposed by leading credit card companies, had cost WikiLeaks tens of millions of pounds.

He spoke by videolink to Ecuador's foreign minister Ricardo Patino in Quito, who assured him that Ecuador would continue to "protect" him after it granted Assange political asylum.

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Assange reveals extradition fears

Animation: The WikiLeaks, Julian Assange Diplomatic Standoff
Animation created by Infobytes to explain the diplomatic situation involving WikiLeaks and Julian Assange, including the Swedish case and his political asylum.

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Animation: The WikiLeaks, Julian Assange Diplomatic Standoff - Video

Two years of being trapped inside an Ecuadorian embassy has not sweetened WikiLeaks wizard Julian Assange's disposition.

Assange has vowed to post more diplomatic dirt online Thursday to mark the second anniversary of his imprisonment at the embassy in London.

Earlier, Assange hinted at what's to come, saying the soon-to-be-leaked documents are "in the field of international negotiations" involving some 50 countries.

Assange did not elaborate, but they are sure to include the U.S. and reportedly Canada and Australia as well.

In a conference call on Wednesday, Assange sent a message to President Obama and U.S Attorney General Eric Holder.

"Mr. Obama, you must surely now start to reflect on what your legacy will be after two presidential terms," he said. "It must be at odds with a former professor of constitutional law to have a legacy of being the President that conducted more espionage investigations against journalists than all Presidents going back to 1917 and the original issuance of the Espionage Act."

Obama taught constitutional law at the University of Chicago.

Assange also called former Australian foreign minister Bob Carr a liar and said he's been watching the World Cup soccer tournament.

The WikiLeaks founder has been holed up in the embassy because he is wanted in Sweden for questioning about sexual abuse allegations.

Assange claims he is being persecuted for releasing a treasure trove of classified documents about NSA surveillance and military documents detailing U.S. actions in Afghanistan and elsewhere.

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