To the United States, Julian Assange may now be Public Enemy Number One.

Some American politicians have even called for his execution. But less than a year ago, the founder of WikiLeaks was officially entertained at a US Embassy cocktail party by one of the very diplomats whose secrets he would soon spill to the world. At the reception, held at the US ambassador's residence in Reykjavik, Iceland, Mr Assange chatted with Sam Watson, the embassy's deputy chief of mission.