Wikileaks founder Assange will stay away from the U.S.

Wikileaks founder Julian Assange is avoiding the United States on the advice of his attorneys and other whistleblowers, according to the Guardian.

The controversial founder of the online journalism site emerged in Brussels this weekend but said he doesn't plan to visit the States anytime soon, lest authorities here try to question him in connection with intelligence analyst Bradley Manning, who was arrested in Baghdad last month after boasting of leaking thousands of documents and two controversial videos of U.S. military attacks to Wikileaks.

"[U.S.] public statements have all been reasonable. But some statements made in private are a bit more questionable," Assange told the Guardian in Brussels. "Politically it would be a great error for them to act. I feel perfectly safe … but I have been advised by my lawyers not to travel to the U.S. during this period."

Assange's public appearance in Brussels was his first after going underground for a month in response to Manning's arrest. The Australian-born former computer hacker has denied Manning's claim that he leaked over 260,000 diplomatic cables to Wikileaks, but in the past has called Manning's admissions heroic.

Assange said Wikileaks has hired three lawyers to defend Manning, who is currently being held in Kuwait. But he said the lawyers have not had access to Manning, who has been assigned military counsel instead.

Assange also said he believes his own notoriety provides him with some protection.

"Some fear for my life. I'm not one of them. We have to avoid some countries, avoid travel, until we know where the political arrow is pointing."