WikiLeaks has indicated Julian Assange is ready to face extradition following Barack Obama's decision to free a former soldier jailed for handing over classified documents to the anti-secrecy organisation.

LISTEN ABOVE: New York based journalist Michael Tracey speaks to Chris Lynch

The outgoing US president used his final hours in the White House to allow Chelsea Manning, who went to school in Wales, to go free nearly 30 years early.

The transgender former intelligence analyst, born Bradley Manning, said she had passed on government and military documents to raise awareness about the impact of war.

Mr Assange, who has been living at the Ecuadorian embassy in London since the summer of 2012 for fear of being extradited to the US, praised campaigners for their role in the decision.

He said: "Thank you to everyone who campaigned for Chelsea Manning's clemency. Your courage & determination made the impossible possible."

Manning's planned release in May appears to pave the way for the Wikileaks founder's self-imposed exile to come to an end.

The organisation last week tweeted: "If Obama grants Manning clemency Assange will agree to US extradition despite clear unconstitutionality of DoJ (Department of Justice) case."

Mr Assange was interviewed in the embassy in November in the presence of prosecutors from Sweden, where he faces a sex allegation.

He denies the claims, but believes he faces extradition to the United States for questioning over the activities of WikiLeaks if he leaves the embassy.

Melinda Taylor, a member of Mr Assange's legal team, insisted previous comments made about the implications of the Manning case still stand.

"Everything that he has said he's standing by," she said.

Manning attended Tasker Milward comprehensive in Pembrokeshire and still has family and friends in the area.

Conservative former Cabinet minister Stephen Crabb praised Mr Obama for showing "mercy" in a complicated case.

The Preseli Pembrokeshire MP said: "I think the actions of President Obama reflect extremely well on him. He has shown compassion and mercy. This was clearly not a straightforward case."