One of Julian Assange's bodyguards recently visited Lismore where he spoke to ABC North Coast

Ciaron O'Reilly looks more like a middle-aged rockstar than a burly bodyguard under watch by international authorities.

Behind the grey dreadlocks, however, is a man fiercely passionate about pacifism and devoted to the protection of one of the world's most famous activists - Wikileaks founder Julian Assange.

Mr O'Reilly, originally from Brisbane, is now a Londoner and appointed by Mr Assange as one of two volunteer bodyguards who escort him through hoards of hungry journalists and photographers between court appearances.

"It's a pretty wild press pack and a lot of the photographers want him scared or looking freaked out, so we form a buffer around him to get him to court," said Mr O'Reilly.

"He obviously trusts me... and I'm pretty big.

"We got the gig... I guess he didn't have too many people to choose from."

Mr O'Reilly first met Mr Assange in England and identified with his plight after being jailed himself for anti-war activities.

He was imprisoned for 13 months during the first Gulf War for disarming a B-52 bomber in New York State and upon his return to Australia he disabled uranium mining machinery in the Northern Territory.

He said Prime Minister Julia Gillard was not lying when she said Mr Assange was being given the same treatment as any other Australian in trouble overseas.

"I think it's different for an Australian in trouble for drugs in Thailand or Bali, but if you're in trouble with the United States for political reasons the Australian Government are just going to serve you up," said Mr O'Reilly.

"In my case, they made no contact with me before my trial in New York.

"They attended my sentencing but never introduced themselves to me.

"They were there to service the FBI by putting me in jail.

"That's what they do."

Mr O'Reilly has been back in Australia visiting family for three months, but will return to London in a fortnight.

There, he plans to hold a vigil outside the Ecuadorian Embassy where Mr Assange has sought refuge while waiting for a formal announcement about whether he will be granted asylum in Ecuador.

He said he was surprised when Mr Assange applied for asylum, but it was an important step to avoid extradition to Sweden followed by the US.

"He's not someone to react, he's someone who takes initiative," said Mr O'Reilly.

"I think the whole Swedish element has been a stalling element for the Americans and if he goes to Sweden he goes to the States."

Mr Assange is accused of sexual assault in Sweden, which is something he has not spoken about in detail with Mr O'Reilly.

"I've read witness statements and things like that," said Mr O'Reilly.

"I think what's happened in Sweden is the women went to make a demand for an HIV test and somehow the cops have spun this into an allegation of sexual assault."

The US Government has denied it intends to extradite Mr Assange from Sweden, but it's an argument his supporters strongly reject.

They believe the US Government wants to charge Mr Assange over WikiLeaks' release of masses of US military and diplomatic documents into the public domain.

Mr O'Reilly said Mr Assange had not been extradited to the US from England because the penalties were not harsh enough.

"The English won't extradite for death penalty offences and the Swedes will," he said.

"So if he went from England they couldn't execute him."

Mr Assange's mother, Christine Assange, is currently in Ecuador pleading for the approval of her son's bid for asylum.

She met with Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa last week for one hour.

Mr O'Reilly said Ms Assange had been told the Ecuadorian Government would make an announcement when the London Olympic Games were over.