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Social media went into meltdown over the bizarre messages, consisting of a string of numbers, which user speculated may be a "dead man's switch". Prominent figures who fear for their lives, such as Mr Assange, have been known to programme their communication channels to send out seemingly incomprehensible messages upon their deaths which make sense to only a select few followers.

GETTY Speculation surrounded the condition of Julian Assange today

Today WikiLeaks' official account posted three tweets - one about US Secretary of State John Kerry, one about Ecuador and one about the UK Foreign Office, each followed by a series of numbers and letters. After the mysterious messages were posted, the whistleblowing website added: "Julian Assange's internet link has been intentionally severed by a state party. We have activated the appropriate contingency plans."

GETTY The WikiLeaks founder fears extradition to the US

GETTY He is currently holed up in the Ecuadorian embassy in London

The revelations provoked a maelstrom of speculation about the health and potential state of the WikiLeaks founder, who is hiding out in the Ecuadorian embassy in London. Concerns about his safety intensified earlier this month after it emerged that Hillary Clinton asked whether the US miltary could "drone" Mr Assange whilst she was Secretary of State. WikiLeaks has repeatedly vowed to release dynamite information which could sink the Democrat nominee's bid for the White House. However, rumours of his death were immediately denied by WikiLeaks volunteer Kelly Kolisnik, who tweeted: "Julian Assange is alive and well. Rumors circulating that he tweeted out a 'Dead Mans' switch are completely false and baseless."

It appears Julian Assange is in danger & internet intentionally cut out!



Please #PrayForJulian — Baked Alaska 3X™ (@bakedalaska) October 17, 2016

UK Ecuadorian Embassy Security Office confirmed @WikiLeaks founder Julian #Assange is alive & well! .@TRUNEWS Excited for upcoming drops! pic.twitter.com/tnBxNEP9R4 — Edward Szall (@realEdwardSzall) October 17, 2016

Mr Assange has been cooped up in the building for more than three years as he seeks to avoid extradition to Sweden on sex assault allegations. He fears that, from there, he could be extradited to the US to face charges over WikiLeaks' activities. In response to today's speculation US entrepreneur Bruce Porter Jr tweeted: "Appears those codes were indeed Assange's 'dead man's switch'. "Word is he alive but internet has been cut.#Wikileaks"

pre-commitment 1: John Kerry 4bb96075acadc3d80b5ac872874c3037a386f4f595fe99e687439aabd0219809 — WikiLeaks (@wikileaks) October 16, 2016

pre-commitment 2: Ecuador

eae5c9b064ed649ba468f0800abf8b56ae5cfe355b93b1ce90a1b92a48a9ab72 — WikiLeaks (@wikileaks) October 16, 2016

pre-commitment 3: UK FCO f33a6de5c627e3270ed3e02f62cd0c857467a780cf6123d2172d80d02a072f74 — WikiLeaks (@wikileaks) October 16, 2016

Political commentator Roger Stone ‏said: "Reports the Brits storm the Ecuadorian Embassy tonite while Kerry demands the UK revoke their diplomatic status so Assange can be seized." To which one user, called Deena, replied: "I think Assange has already activated the Dead Man's Switch! There is NO stopping wikileaks now. All info will be available." However, the hacking group Anonymous ‏denied that the world's most famous fugitive is dead, insisting he was merely trying to publicise upcoming releases about Mr Kerry, Ecuador and the Foreign Office. It tweeted: "ATT: Some accounts, say have ties to Anonymous. It is spreading disinformation saying that Assange might is dead. It's a lie. Stop Lying."

Julian Assange's internet link has been intentionally severed by a state party. We have activated the appropriate contingency plans. — WikiLeaks (@wikileaks) October 17, 2016