Swiss banker found guilty over WikiLeaks data (VIDEO)

A former Swiss banker who this week handed WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange details of rich tax evaders from the U.S. and other countries has been found guilty of breaching Switzerland's strict bank secrecy laws.

Zurich's Regional Court fined Rudolf Elmer more than $6,250, but rejected prosecution demands to give Elmer a prison sentence.

Elmer, who headed Julius Baer's office in the Cayman Islands, admitted passing on data to WikiLeaks and sending threatening letters to his former employer.

Elmer also said he handed over two CDs containing the data to Assange in London late on Sunday to expose tax evasion by businessmen and politicians. He said there were 2,000 account holders named in the documents, but refused to give details of the companies or individuals involved.

He argued that he did not breach Swiss banking laws, as the leaked documents referred to accounts in the Caymans.

Assange praised the ex-banker's attempts to expose alleged shady practices in the financial industry. He was making a rare public appearance since he was released on bail on Dec. 16 following his arrest on a Swedish extradition warrant. He said WikiLeaks would publish the information within weeks, once it had been checked.

Zurich prosecutors charged that Elmer stole client data after being sacked by his employer and then tried to extort money from Bank Julius Baer and senior executives.

Separately, an embassy cable released by WikiLeaks shows that the United States instructed its Middle East diplomats in 2008 to gather data on encrypted Israeli communications and build financial and "biometric" profiles of Palestinian leaders, Reuters reported. 

The secret memorandum, signed by then Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, suggests the Bush administration fretted about lacking intelligence despite warm ties to Israel and the West Bank-based Palestinian Authority.

U.S. envoys were asked to form a complete overview of Israel's high-tech communications network, including internet, mobile-phone, and state-run "information repositories associated with radio frequency identification enabled systems used for passports, government badges, and transportation systems."

The Bush administration also sought out private contact details on civilian and military officials, as well as their movement. They also wanted comprehensive details on "key PA and Hamas leaders and representative … the young guard in Gaza, the West Bank, and outside."