US Soldier Goes on Trial Over Wiki Leaks Disclosures

The military trial of Bradley Manning, the US soldier who handed thousands of secret government files to WikiLeaks, began Monday, more than three years after he was arrested in Iraq.

Published

6 months ago

Categories

US

Topics

Military, Legal, United States

People

Bradley Manning

Places

United States of America, Iraq, California, New York, Maryland

Companies

WikiLeaks

Transcript

SHOTLIST: FORT MEADE, MARYLAND, 3 JUNE 2013, SOURCE: AFPTV SOUNDBITE 1 Tigh Barry (man), Bradley Manning supporter from California (English, 17 sec): "This has been a three-year-process, he's been held without a trial for three years. I think it's time for them to give him time served, that's what I would like to see... Maybe if they want to give him some community service and obviously a dishonorable discharge. This is my hope." SOUNDBITE 2 Todd Eaton (man), Bradley Manning supporter from New York (English, 25 sec): "The decision itself was heroic. There's been an awful lot of attention to Bradley Manning's personality and things like that. I don't really care if he loves his mother or puppies... I know that if I were in his place I hope that I would have the courage to make the decisions that he made and to try and protect the American people and freedom." - MS of main gate Fort Meade sign - WS of journalists entering building - MS of soldiers entering building where Manning's court martial is being held - VAR of Manning supporters on the sidewalk - VAR of Manning support signs ----------------------------------- AFP TEXT STORY US-military-court-WikiLeaks-open US soldier goes on trial over WikiLeaks disclosures =(PICTURE+VIDEO)= FORT MEADE, Maryland, June 3, 2013 (AFP) - The military trial of Bradley Manning, the US soldier who handed thousands of secret government files to WikiLeaks, began Monday, more than three years after he was arrested in Iraq. The 25-year-old Manning went before a court martial presided over by Judge Denise Lind at 1330 GMT. He is accused of the biggest leak of classified information in US history. US and foreign reporters waited in line for two hours to get through security and into the courtroom. Manning gave WikiLeaks some 700,000 classified military and diplomatic documents from November 2009 until his arrest in May 2010. He faces a possible 154-year jail sentence. Manning has offered to plead guilty to several offenses but denies prosecutors' most serious charge -- of knowingly aiding the enemy, chiefly Al-Qaeda. chv/dw/jk