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\"Based on Wikileaks activities for the last decade and a half, this superseding indictment isn't surprising. And while it is not surprising it is disturbing,\" John Cohen, a former acting undersecretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security who is now an ABC News contributor said. \"It should not be lost on anybody that the head of WikiLeaks, an entity that had direct contact with persons associated with the Trump campaign and served as a conduit for information stolen by the Russians, has now been charged with espionage.\"

The superseding indictment comes just one week after Manning, a former U.S. Army intelligence analyst and anti-secrecy activist, was ordered back to jail after a federal judge held her in contempt of court for defying a grand jury subpoena. That grand jury is convened at the same federal court where prosecutors filed their charges against Assange.

The indictment specifically addresses Assange's exchanges with Manning, alleging that \"after agreeing to receiving classified documents from Manning and aiding, abetting, and causing Manning to provide classified documents,\" Assange then published those documents on WikiLeaks -- an act they say put confidential sources used by the U.S. government abroad in potential danger.

One of the counts included in the superseding indictment includes a charge of conspiracy between Manning and and Assange to obtain receive and disclose national defense information in violation of Espionage Act, a rare charge for a person who has never served inside the U.S. government.

According to the DOJ announcement, Assange faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison on each charge with the exception of one charge related to conspiracy to commit computer intrusion.

Assange is currently serving a 50-week jail sentence in Great Britain for skipping bail and is fighting extradition to the United States.

ABC's Ali Dukakis contributed to this report.

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