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Bradley Manning's lawyers sum up their case in trial Bradley Manning a whistleblower not a traitor - lawyer
(about 5 hours later)
The defence lawyer for the US soldier who leaked reams of secret documents to Wikileaks is due to present closing arguments in his court martial. The US soldier who leaked reams of secret US government documents to Wikileaks was a whistleblower, not a traitor, a defence lawyer has said.
Pte First Class Bradley Manning's lawyer has sought to portray him as naive but well-intentioned. Pte First Class Bradley Manning aimed to inform the US public, his lawyer said in the closing arguments of his trial on charges of aiding the enemy.
On Thursday, a prosecutor said he was a "traitor" who betrayed his country. On Thursday, a prosecutor called him a "traitor" who betrayed his country.
Pte Manning has pleaded guilty to 10 of more than 20 charges against him. The leak is considered the largest-ever of secret US government documents. Pte Manning has already pleaded guilty 10 lesser charges out of 22 total, and could face up to life in prison.
At a military courtroom in Fort Meade, Maryland, Judge Col Denise Lind will soon decide whether Pte Manning is guilty of aiding the enemy, the most serious charge against him and one to which he has pleaded not guilty. He faces life in prison if convicted. The leak is considered the largest-ever of secret US government documents.
'Traitor' At a military courtroom in Fort Meade, Maryland, Judge Col Denise Lind will soon decide whether Pte Manning is guilty of aiding the enemy, the most serious charge against him. Her verdict could come as soon as this weekend.
On Thursday, prosecutor Maj Ashden Fein said Pte Manning's mission was to find and disclose classified material to "anarchists" at Wikileaks, adding that he was seeking notoriety as a leaker. In his arguments at the conclusion of the weeks-long court martial, Pte Manning's defence lawyer David Coombs disputed the prosecution's claim the 25-year-old intelligence analyst hoped to win notoriety as a hacker and intelligence leaker.
"He's not seeking attention. He's saying he's willing to accept the price" for what he has done, Mr Coombs said.
"That is a whistleblower, period. That is somebody who wants to inform the American public."
'Being himself'
The defence lawyer played a video Pte Manning leaked to the Wikileaks anti-secrecy website of an Apache helicopter attack in the Iraqi capital, Baghdad, in 2007. A dozen people died in the attack, including two Reuters employees.
"You have to look at that from the point of view of a guy who cared about human life," said Mr Coombs.
He also displayed a photo of Pte Manning wearing what appeared to be make-up and a bra.
"What you see there is a young man who is cross-dressing," Mr Coombs said. "Just maybe that person is smiling because he can be himself at that moment."
The prosecution had said the photo showed a man who thought he had finally become famous.
The prosecution is scheduled to present its rebuttal arguments on Friday afternoon.
On Thursday, prosecutor Maj Ashden Fein said Pte Manning's mission was to find and disclose classified material to "anarchists" at Wikileaks, while seeking notoriety as a leaker.
He also said Pte Manning, who was trained as an intelligence analyst, must have known that al-Qaeda operatives would see the leaked material once it was posted online.He also said Pte Manning, who was trained as an intelligence analyst, must have known that al-Qaeda operatives would see the leaked material once it was posted online.
'Traitor'
And he said some of the documents leaked by Pte Manning were discovered among Osama Bin Laden's belongings.And he said some of the documents leaked by Pte Manning were discovered among Osama Bin Laden's belongings.
"WikiLeaks was merely the platform which Pte Manning used to ensure all the information was available for the world, including enemies of the United States," Maj Fein said."WikiLeaks was merely the platform which Pte Manning used to ensure all the information was available for the world, including enemies of the United States," Maj Fein said.
"He was a traitor, a traitor who understood the value of compromised information in the hands of the enemy and took deliberate steps to ensure that they, along with the world, received it.""He was a traitor, a traitor who understood the value of compromised information in the hands of the enemy and took deliberate steps to ensure that they, along with the world, received it."
After the prosecution closed its case on Thursday, Pte Manning's defence lawyer David Coombs said: "Tomorrow, you're going to hear what truth sounds like," as he left the courthouse.
"The government has its job, but there is nobody who could believe what they said," he told a group of supporters standing outside.
Pte Manning has not denied his role in the leak, and in February said at a pre-trial hearing he had disclosed the documents to spark a public debate about US military and foreign policy.Pte Manning has not denied his role in the leak, and in February said at a pre-trial hearing he had disclosed the documents to spark a public debate about US military and foreign policy.
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 files leaked were an estimated 250,000 diplomatic cables, and thousands of battlefield reports from Afghanistan and Iraq.
Also disclosed were an estimated 250,000 diplomatic cables.
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.
Pte Manning was arrested in May 2010 while serving in Iraq.Pte Manning was arrested in May 2010 while serving in Iraq.