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Bradley Manning 'betrayed his country' - prosecutor Bradley Manning 'betrayed his country' - prosecutor
(about 2 hours later)
The US soldier who disclosed hundreds of thousands of secret documents to Wikileaks betrayed his country to win fame, a prosecutor has said.The US soldier who disclosed hundreds of thousands of secret documents to Wikileaks betrayed his country to win fame, a prosecutor has said.
Pte First Class Bradley Manning knew al-Qaeda militants would see the material, a prosecutor said in closing arguments at his court martial. Pte First Class Bradley Manning, 25, knew al-Qaeda militants would see the material, a prosecutor said in closing arguments at the court martial.
Pte Manning has already pleaded guilty to 10 of the more than 20 counts he faces, and could face life in prison.Pte Manning has already pleaded guilty to 10 of the more than 20 counts he faces, and could face life in prison.
The case is considered the largest-ever leak of secret US government documents.The case is considered the largest-ever leak of secret US government documents.
Last week a military judge refused to dismiss the most serious charge against Pte Manning, aiding the enemy, which carries a life sentence.Last week a military judge refused to dismiss the most serious charge against Pte Manning, aiding the enemy, which carries a life sentence.
'Flag means nothing' 'Flag meant nothing'
Analysts say the verdict, to be decided by the judge alone, could have a big impact on future leakers.Analysts say the verdict, to be decided by the judge alone, could have a big impact on future leakers.
Prosecutor Maj Ashden Fein dismissed the defence's portrayal of Pte Manning as a confused and disillusioned young man, saying that the leak was an abuse of trust while he worked as an intelligence analyst for the army in Iraq. The defence will deliver its closing statement on Friday.
On Thursday, prosecutor Maj Ashden Fein dismissed the defence's portrayal of Pte Manning as a confused and disillusioned young man, saying that the leak was an abuse of trust while he worked as an intelligence analyst for the Army in Iraq.
"The flag meant nothing to him," Maj Fein said."The flag meant nothing to him," Maj Fein said.
He said that when US Navy Seals raided Osama Bin Laden's compound in Pakistan, they discovered digital copies of documents leaked by Pte Manning among his belongings. He said that when US Navy Seals raided Osama Bin Laden's compound in Pakistan, they discovered among his belongings digital copies of documents leaked by Pte Manning.
Pte Manning, 25, has not denied his role in the leak, but in February said at a pre-trial hearing he had disclosed the documents to spark a public debate about US military and foreign policy. Maj Fein also quoted chat logs between Pte Manning and hacker Adrian Lamo, who eventually turned the soldier in.
His defence lawyer David Coombs - who is due to give his closing statement later on Thursday - argued earlier in the trial that there was no proof Pte Manning had aided the enemy. "Hillary Clinton, and several thousand diplomats around the world are going to have a heart attack," Pte Manning wrote to Lamo, said the prosecutor.
Mr Coombs argued the soldier was guilty of negligence but acted without the "general evil intent" required to justify the most serious charge. Fein, who described Wikileaks as "a bunch of anti-government activists and anarchists", argued that Pte Manning had "pulled as much information as possible to please Julian Assange".
Mr Coombs has argued the former intelligence analyst was "young, naive and good-intentioned" when he arrived in Iraq in 2009, but soon became disillusioned. Some two dozen supporters of Pte Manning protested outside the army base in the hours before the court opened.
Pte Manning has not denied his role in the leak, but in February said at a pre-trial hearing he had disclosed the documents to spark a public debate about US military and foreign policy.
His defence lawyer, David Coombs, argued earlier in the trial that there was no proof Pte Manning had aided the enemy.
Mr Coombs acknowledged the soldier was guilty of negligence, but said he acted without the "general evil intent" required to justify the charge of aiding the enemy.
Military prosecutors maintain the leaks damaged national security and endangered American lives and those of foreign intelligence and diplomatic sources.Military prosecutors maintain the leaks damaged national security and endangered American lives and those of foreign intelligence and diplomatic sources.
To obtain a conviction on the charge of aiding the enemy, prosecutors must prove Pte Manning acted with intent to aid the enemy and knowingly gave such adversaries US intelligence information.
They have argued Pte Manning had "systematically harvested" documents, adding the accused must have known al-Qaeda operatives would see the leaked documents once they were made available online.
Reduced sentence
Judge Col Denise Lind last week declined to dismiss the aiding the enemy charge, ruling Pte Manning's training as an intelligence analyst showed he would have known about militant organisations' use of the internet.
But it is still possible that Pte Manning will be acquitted of that charge.
Among the items sent to Wikileaks was graphic footage of an Apache helicopter attack in 2007 that killed a dozen people in the Iraqi capital Baghdad, including a Reuters photographer.Among the items sent to Wikileaks was graphic footage of an Apache helicopter attack in 2007 that killed a dozen people in the Iraqi capital Baghdad, including a Reuters photographer.
Other files leaked included thousands of battlefield reports from Afghanistan and Iraq, as well as secure messages between US embassies and the state department in Washington.
Pte Manning was arrested in May 2010 while serving in Iraq. He spent weeks in a cell at Camp Arifjan, a US Army installation in Kuwait.Pte Manning was arrested in May 2010 while serving in Iraq. He spent weeks in a cell at Camp Arifjan, a US Army installation in Kuwait.
He was then transferred to a maximum-security jail at Quantico, Virginia, where he was locked up alone for 23 hours a day in a small cell for nearly nine months, and had to sleep naked for several nights.
Whatever prison sentence Pte Manning receives will be reduced by 112 days, after a judge ruled he had suffered unduly harsh treatment during his initial detention following his arrest.Whatever prison sentence Pte Manning receives will be reduced by 112 days, after a judge ruled he had suffered unduly harsh treatment during his initial detention following his arrest.