Australia finds no crime by WikiLeaks

CANBERRA, Australia, Dec. 17 (UPI) -- Australian authorities said Friday they have not found WikiLeaks to have broken any Australian law by revealing U.S. diplomatic cables.

Attorney General Robert McClelland said the Australian Federal Police has "not identified any criminal offenses where Australia has jurisdiction and as a result have not commenced an investigation," The Australian newspaper reported.

Prime Minister Julia Gillard has denounced WikiLeaks' activities, angering her own Labor Party MPs, who demanded the government stop treating Julian Assange as a criminal and defend his rights as an Australian citizen and whistle-blower.

Gillard stood firm Friday and again called the publication of U.S. cables "grossly irresponsible."

She said she wanted to "clear up" a "conflation of what are different issues."

Gillard said the government had made clear that Assange would get consular assistance in fighting extradition to Sweden, but "the theft of those documents is an illegal act. That's properly in the hands of the U.S. authorities to deal with."

"There are some people who are fans of this conduct, but I most certainly am not," she added.

The cables revealed that a Cabinet minister, Mark Arbib, was a "protected" source who provided inside information on the government to U.S. officials.