The founder of WikiLeaks has spoken from his prison cell to criticise the high profile firms that have cut off funds to his website.

Julian Assange, 39, has been in police custody since handing himself into police last week after an arrest warrant was issued in Sweden over allegations of sex offences.

In a statement given to his mother Christine from his cell at Wandsworth jail, Assange said: "My convictions are unfaltering. I remain true to the ideals I have expressed.

"This circumstance shall not shake them. If anything this process has increased my determination that they are true and correct.

"We now know that Visa, Mastercard, Paypal and others are instruments of US foreign policy. It's not something we knew before.

"I am calling for the world to protect my work and my people from these illegal and immoral attacks."

Julian Assange was photographed as he arrived at court today

Web anarachists supporting Wikileaks and Assange have attempted to bring down websites such as PayPal, Visa and Amazon after they made the decision to stop processing donations to the site.

The Swedish authorities are pressing to have the Australian extradited to Stockholm to face charges.

Assange is due to appear at City of Westminster Magistrates Court at 2pm today when he will make a fresh appeal to be granted bail.

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If unsuccessful, he may appeal to the High Court.

The decision to remand him in custody was made in spite of the offer of a £180,000 surety from backers including Jemima Khan and Ken Loach.

The accusations against the former hacker include rape and molestation in one case and molestation and unlawful coercion in a second

The Wikileaks website has been dripfeeding revelations from US embassies

Assange has denied the allegations, which he has claimed stem from a dispute over "consensual but unprotected sex".

District Judge Howard Riddle refused bail on the grounds that there was a risk that Assange would fail to surrender.

But Assange's lawyer Mark Stephens told Sky News he hopes that by providing judge with an address the police know and approve of, his client will be able to be released.

"Hopefully with the people who stood behind him last time coming along to court again we can persuade the judge on this occasion that he is perhaps the most identifiable person around at the moment and it would be difficult for him to go anywhere without being positively identified."

Today's court appearance comes as the latest WikiLeaks releases suggest British police helped "develop" evidence against Madeleine McCann's parents as they were being investigated by Portuguese authorities looking into their daughter's disappearance.

Protesters around the world have called for Assange's release

Kate and Gerry's spokesman, Clarence Mitchell, told Sky News: "This is an entirely historic note that is more than three years old.

"Subsequently, Kate and Gerry had their arguido status lifted, with the Portuguese authorities making it perfectly clear that there was absolutely no evidence to implicate them in Madeleine's disappearance whatsoever.

"To this day, they continue to work tirelessly on the search for their daughter, co-operating when appropriate with both the Portuguese and British authorities."

The cables have also revealed that the US was concerned that the UK was struggling to cope with homegrown extremism in the wake of the July 7 bomb attacks in London.

Senior politicians say WikiLeaks has jeopardised US national security and diplomatic efforts around the world.

The case has become an international cause celebre as governments weigh up the damage to their reputations with the right to freedom of speech.

Around 15 supporters of the Justice for Assange Campaign gathered outside the Swedish Embassy in central London on Monday, wearing masks bearing Assange's face and gagging themselves with US flags.

Slogans on their banners included "political prisoner", "gagging the truth" and "honey trapped in Sweden".