Zurich: Just hours after his trial on fresh charges of breaching banking secrecy, whistleblower Rudolf Elmer was arrested in Zurich. Elmer had faced a trial in Zurich on Wednesday too, but he escaped a prison sentence for making secret data public in 2007 and threatening an employee at his former employers, with a fine of 7200 Swiss Francs.

However, even before he could heave a sigh of relief, when Elmer got back to his home in a Zurich suburb, there were eight policemen waiting for him. His wife claimed their house was thoroughly searched and Elmer was taken away.

Swiss police say Elmer was arrested on the suspicion of breaking banking secrecy laws by handing over CDs earlier this week in London.

Earlier, Elmer had said that his former employers had set private detectives after him and his family. He had also admitted he sent a mail from an anonymous email id under pressure but denied having sent a bomb threat to the bank.

Elmer claimed he wanted to expose large scale tax evasion and just before his arrest, he said he was ready to face the consequences.

"I am on the right side of the street in fighting this abuse so if I have to go to jail I say let's go," said the former banker.

Now, the data that Elmer had handed over is being analysed by WikiLeaks, a whistleblowing website. Julian Assange, the founder of WikiLeaks now claims that this information will soon be released. 

Tags: Rudolf Elmer, Swiss banker, Tax evasion, Whistleblower