Short Manning hearing: four government witnesses to testify secretly
Judge Denise Lind. Courtroom sketch by Clark Stoeckley, Bradley Manning Support Network.
By Nathan Fuller, Bradley Manning Support Network. May 7, 2013.
PFC Bradley Manning’s pretrial proceedings continued today with a very brief open session, including two short rulings from Judge Denise Lind and more information about tomorrow’s closed session, which will provide a ‘dry run’ for a government witness to divulge classified information in secret.
In the first ruling, Judge Lind granted the government’s request to have ‘John Doe’ – presumed to be a Navy SEAL – testify in an entirely closed session, in an undisclosed location, to protect his identity, which is classified at the Secret level and which the government claims could cause harm to national security if made public. This witness will allegedly testify about documents he retrieved at Osama bin Laden’s compound following the May 1, 2011, raid.
The second ruling mirrored the first, except that it allowed for the secret testimony of three other classified witnesses.
The defense didn’t object to any of these four testifying in closed sessions. They’ll each testify in “light disguise,” which could include facial hair, wigs, and/or prosthetics to obscure their identities but to still allow the defense to observe their facial reactions.
These witnesses, the government says, will largely divulge classified information, but that some portion of their testimony will be unclassified. The court will provide a redacted transcript of these closed sessions for the press and public to document these portions.
Tomorrow, Don Yamamoto, former U.S. ambassador to Ethiopia and current acting Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, will be the ‘dry run’ witness, testifying in secret to determine if his type of testimony could be summarized, redacted, or referred to with code words so as to keep the courtroom open during those portions of the trial.
We’ll return to open-court sessions at the next pretrial hearing, still scheduled for May 21-24. The May 21 session begins at 9:30 AM ET. Bradley’s court-martial trial is scheduled to begin on June 3, 2013, and run for 12 weeks. By the time it starts, he’ll have been in jail awaiting trial for more than three years.
Oh wow. I’m not an expert at this so I hope mr. Bradley Manning gets the fair trial he deserves. He needs to be freed. This is soo fuckin wrong!!!! Sylvia Lydia Morelos.
I couldn’t have said it any better, Sylvia! I totally agree! This young man deserves a metal instead of what he has been subjected to in our name!
I have been assaulted and harassed by US Intel for 14 years with directed energy weapons from US Aircraft and there are many others being assaulted with full knowledge of the upper command structure and they got me fired from my job and think they are going to shut me up like they are doing to Bradley Manning, the whistleblowing doctors over in Germany and anyone else who speaks out. Anyone who fires a whistleblower or puts them in a mental ward/jail should have severe criminal and civil penalties levied against them! and then this crap from the Generals and Commanders wouldn’t continue!
What do you mean you’ve been assaulted with directed energy weapons?
Care to elaborate? What specifically are they targeting you for. Can you provide proof…i.e. listening devices you have found in your home, doocumented proof of tampering with your vehicle, video of people following you, etc? It’s not that difficult to run your own counter-op…because they never expect it. They are in the intimidation game, so you have to change your tactics from victim to field agent.
This trial will be a long one as this is all going to an international court…I do have to say though, Lind just created her own blowback
Hang in there Bradley this is NOT about you, this is the dance of their evil!
Secret witnesses–and they probably won’t be able to cross examine them–this “trial” is a farce!!!
Yep, Good reply Lynn – a “mock trial”.
You snitch on any atrocity the US Government wants to dish out and you will get hung, if not physically, mentally.
And what are the chances that Osama’s compound WAS actually raided!!! Osama bin Laden’s funeral was on 17/12/2001, so I’m completely gobsmacked about his murder again after 9 years…
I wonder who the poor hapless man was that got murdered by the navy seals in Pakistan. But I can say without a shadow of doubt, that nothing of Osama was found in that compound because whoever they killed there, did not know Osama according to all the neighbours of the murdered man in Pakistan.
I am deeply and increasingly embarrassed to be an American. Does our government and those who buy it even remember what we once stood for…and do they care? Shame on us for not confronting such despotism.
If these witness,s have secret info, why aren,t they behind bars like Manning?This is a crying shame that our Senator,s Congressional, and President is letting this go on and on and torturing this honorable Bradley Manning for a deed well done in honor of our country. Because of their Bigatry, they want to pawn it off on Bradley that he did wrong, it shows you what our gov is doing to us all every day, when a soldier is not procteced by his own country for his people. Us as a people have to stand up for our rights, Why is this 1 Judge, 1 court and the military ruling this person,s life, and no one can intervene, does,nt that tell you something is wrong here , what do we do people this has gone on too long.This is conspiricy at the highest level of gov. and they never knew their lies , lies would be told and now the world knows what the United States does, and acts, says one thing does another , lies and deciet.
It is sad to see our nation fall into the
hands of the extreme right.
Good reply Patricia and it’s only just starting. Watch, it’s going to get worse.
Read Naomi Wolf’s “The End of America” and “Give Me Freedom”.
You are exactly correct. This is the largest pile of bullshit I think I’ve ever heard of. I am appalled by this outrageous and disgraceful injustice. Never, EVER forget that Bradley Manning followed his conscience and he was absolutely, positively dead on. And I challenge anyone to tell me why they would not be proud to have Bradley Manning as a brother, husband, son or father. STAY STONG BRADLEY – YOU ARE A SHINING STAR.
The secrecy is there to cover up policy and acts for which there is no accountability to the American people, nor to the U.S. Constitution….
Whats happened to the once ‘land of the free’?
This nation now incarcerates more of its citizens
than any other nation on this plane.
Out nation’s legal system is now a for-profit only
business run by those seeking money rather than
rehabilation. Counties and states are being ‘paid’
handsomely to put people in these jails.
“The defense didn’t object to any of these four testifying in closed sessions. They’ll each testify in “light disguise,” which could include facial hair, wigs, and/or prosthetics to obscure their identities but to still allow the defense to observe their facial reactions.”
Otherwise, all participants will be required to attend court in suit of Marsupial fur with a pouch just below the breastbone and a 1.1 meter in length prehensile tail….
“Some people who cannot be named have told us some things that we cannot reveal, and therefore we find you…”
Anyone here been reading Kafka?
ha…ha…ha… absolutely ‘n Kafka story
PERFECT!!!!
The US Government is out to make an example out of Bradley Manning and they will do anything, even going to immoral and falsifying stuff to make sure he never sees the light of day. He’s been in solitary confinement if my information is correct now for four years – can you imagine what they have done to his mind?
Wrong, you betcha but so was 9/11, Hiroshima, Nagasaki, JFK, Martin Luther King and all the rest of BS our government leaders are pulling to usher in the New World Order.
There will be no justice for Bradley Manning. We are being taught a lesson on what happens to whistle blowers – and I don’t believe he released confidential information, that is a ploy to turn public sympathy against him.
A game I have witnessed many times, played by the rich and powerful.
There was a time in America when people who commit crimes were punished. In the next era, crimes were not prosecuted with the vigor of cover-ups.. In this current era, it’s the exposer of our crimes that gets the vigorous prosecution.
“Hang in there Bradley this is NOT about you, this is the dance of their evil!”
Balla István Gábor from Pécs, Hungary
It’s a sad state of affairs for our frail democracy when war criminals can roam free and soldiers trying to uphold the Constitution that they swore to uphold are facing life in prison for doing the right thing. If this isn’t an injustice, there injustice doesn’t exist. Pvt Manning should be let go free, should be promoted and given a medal. He has the right stuff. This one of many reasons why I couldn’t vote for Obama. He promised to make the Constitution whole again with his: No one is above the law and waterboarding being a war crime and torture and when the rubber met the road, he became another Trojan horse of democracy abd Christianity.
Everything about this trial is a sham – secret witnesses, secret evidence, and everything else the government wants to use against PFC Bradley Manning. This is not a court – it’s a crucifixion
Pvt. Manning is an honorable man doing an honorable deed. The criminals are the “bozo’s” hiding behind secrets! Let the truth be revealed!
The world is watching and judging the US on this extraordinary treatment of whistleblowers. Not just Bradley but others, journalists, ex CIA, a veritable parade of them. Not one war criminal tried for the illegal war in Iraq. I bet the murderers of the video “Collateral Damage” got war medals! The biggest war criminals of all, Cheney, Bush, Blair and Howard are sitting pretty instead of sitting in the dock at the Haigh. Seems the only war criminals that get their just desserts are the ones from Africa, right? But we know now how malignant the plutocracy of the US is, and we are starting to wake up…..
Endangering the national security is a code word for we don’t want any over sight. This gives the government complete control over the trial, totally unacceptable. The constitution says a trial by ones peers, a jury. Also the trial is supposed to be held in public. How did all of this top secret national security crap come into being?
Milatery Maddness is Killing Our Country, words to a song from the 70s, but it is still the truth. Bradly Manning is a Hero and no one should forget that. Iam a Viet Nam vet and this kid has more balls than most of the aholes serving now or then. This corrupt government is going to try and put this kid in a hole like Git Mo and pretend that what he reported on NEVER Happened. All the Milatery atrositys ever COMMITED and we the people will NEVER KNOW about them. And the Government act surprised when it’s rubbed in their faces but they Still try to deny,and deny but we know there TRUE.
This guy should get a Medal for Courage.
Dear Creator, friends, and family of Light, I ask that all realms of Love and Light provide Bradley Manning with the protection of the Christed Light. May you be at his side every moment, allowing him to FEEL the Love and Light that is offered to him at all times. Love is your protection Bradley and it flows to you in infinite amounts. You are greatly Loved for your service to better the Human race.
Finally, the general population is starting to wake up to what our government is doing in our name. You don’t hear much about it in the mainstream media…I wonder why. We have the power to oust these criminals and reform our political system. We can eventually, if we work hard at it, clean up our government, put these criminals in prison, and earn some respect around the world in the process. Everyone can get involved in some way, even if only to sign petitions online to start. We can’t let this continue. Hang in there Bradley! You are a hero to a lot of folks that have awakened. Thank you for your brave deed.
“These witnesses, the government says, will largely divulge classified information…”
Really what is there we don’t already know about the US? They don’t admit how many they murder but we know everything else. How they invade countries on false pretext. How they’re bankrupt from doing so yet don’t admit it. How they endlessly print money to finance it and murder anyone who challenges the US dollar as a standard. How they interpret their law as international law. How they veto more UNSC resolutions than all other countries combined. How they have to resort to secret trials (Manning, Saddam) or murder (Khadafi) to shut up an accused “criminal”. We already know enough, thanks.
I didn’t see the videos Manning allegedly released, but I do know how difficult it is to release infor government officials want squashed. My mentally, physically disabled brother was arrested and murdered after 18 days of secret incarceration in Memphis Shelby County Jail in 2003. Since then, I have been persecuted for revealing the murder and unlawfully denied any records of his fatal incarceration. Google WrongfulDeathofLarryNeal. That is why I support Pvt. Manning, free speech, and freedom of press.
so, no actual kangaroos?
I used to wonder how the Germans were all “fooled” by the Nazis, and now I know, they were not fooled, they were powerless to stop what unfolded day by day, and as we watch our own government turn in to a Nazi regime it becomes more and more clear how a fascist system takes root. As Americans we can only watch in horror.
I thought the trials are about facing your accusers and wittnesses. I find the wigs etc. so anti-American values and ethics!
If they want to testify let them be proud and comfortable about what they have to say.
If I had to view a person testifying in an altered appearence I would question if the testimony was also altered!
I think Bradley Manning should get the Peace Prize
Why did Obama get it?
He is keeping men indefinitely detained and tortured in Guantanamo Bay I think it’s against Human Rights