Julian Assange has accused Private Eye editor Ian Hislop of distorting his comments about Jews in an interview published in the magazine.

Mr Assange said the suggestion that he had referred to a “Jewish conspiracy,” out to get him, was “completely false”.

According to Private Eye, Mr Assange told Mr Hislop that there was an “an obvious attempt to deprive him and his organisation of Jewish support and donations” and attacked three non-Jewish journalists, including Guardian editor Alan Rusbridger, for leading a “Jewish” conspiracy against him.

In a statement published by WikiLeaks he said: “"Hislop has distorted, invented or misremembered almost every significant claim and phrase.”

WikiLeaks also denied the reports that the site’s Russian associate was alleged Holocaust denier and antisemite Israel Shamir.

Mr Assange added: “We treasure our strong Jewish support and staff, just as we treasure the support from pan-Arab democracy activists and others who share our hope for a just world."

However, in the same statement the renowned campaigner for openness and full disclosure in public life insisted that the conversation with Mr Hislop had been off the record.