Military refers all charges against Bradley Manning to court martial
Despite Clear Evidence of Bias, ‘Show Trial’ of Accused WikiLeaks Whistle-blower Set to Proceed
Press release from the Bradley Manning Support Network. January 12, 2012
WASHINGTON, DC — Military officers orchestrating proceedings against PFC Bradley Manning have referred all charges that were considered during last month’s Article 32 proceedings to a general court martial. Investigating officer Lt. Col. Paul Almanza rejected a request from lead defense counsel David Coombs to consolidate the 22 charges into three charges, expressing concerns that the military is over-charging PFC Manning.
“We’re disappointed but by no means surprised,” said Jeff Paterson, a lead organizer for the Bradley Manning Support Network. “The investigating officer showed no concern for the conflict of interest caused by his dual employment with the Justice Department, or the taint of bias arising from his commander-in-chief, President Obama, who publicly declared Manning to be guilty long before he ever had his day in court.”
Lt. Col. Paul Alamanza, the investigating officer who referred the charges to court martial, refused to recuse himself on the grounds that his employer — the Justice Department — is pursuing a separate investigation into WikiLeaks. He was also criticized for allowing all of the military’s witnesses and evidence to be presented, while prohibiting all but two of the defense’s witnesses from testifying, as well as evidence that could exonerate the accused WikiLeaks whistle-blower.
The recommendations, which now go before the Special Court Martial Convening Authority, include the most serious charge of “aiding the enemy.” Legal observers who followed the Article 32 proceedings noted that military prosecutors never provided evidence of how these materials supposedly harmed national security.
“These charges contradict the administration’s own impact assessments which showed that these WikiLeaks revelations posed no threat to our national security” said Kevin Zeese, a legal adviser to the Bradley Manning Support Network. “But since the Obama administration appears dead set on railroading Bradley Manning through their show trial, we can’t expect them to allow such critical evidence or testimony to be considered. This evidence could have shown that these materials were improperly classified.”
The new convening authority Maj. Gen. Linnington is expected to make a final recommendation on these charges in about a week, with the court martial anticipated to resume in three to five months.
Hundreds of supporters marched and demonstrated in support of Bradley Manning outside the Article 32 proceedings at Fort Meade last month. Organizers say that the Obama administration can expect even larger numbers at the court martial.
Classification: UNCLASSIFIED
Caveats: NONE
NEWS RELEASE
The U.S. Army Military District of Washington
Guardian of the Nation’s Capital
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE #12-01
DATE: January 12, 2012
Investigating Officer Provides Recommendation in the Article 32 Hearing – U.S. Government vs. Pfc. Bradley E. Manning
FORT LESLEY J. MCNAIR, DC – The investigating officer assigned to the Article 32 Hearing for Pfc. Bradley E. Manning forwarded his recommendation to Col. Carl R. Coffman, the Special Court Martial Convening Authority, on Jan. 12, 2012. The investigating officer concluded that the charges and specifications are in the proper form and that reasonable grounds exist to believe that the accused committed the offenses alleged. He recommended that the charges be referred to a general court martial.
The Special Court Martial Convening Authority will now review the investigating officer’s report and determine whether the charges should be disposed of at his level or be forwarded to Maj. Gen. Michael S. Linnington, the General Court Martial Convening Authority for disposition at his level.
Pfc. Manning is charged with aiding the enemy; wrongfully causing intelligence to be published on the internet knowing that it is accessible to the enemy; theft of public property or records; transmitting defense information; fraud and related activity in connection with computers; and for violating Army Regulations 25-2 “Information Assurance” and 380-5 “Department of the Army Information Security Program.”
If convicted of all charges, Manning would face a maximum punishment of reduction to the lowest enlisted pay grade, E-1; total forfeiture of all pay and allowances; confinement for life; and a dishonorable discharge.
Media queries may be emailed to the U.S. Army Military District of Washington Public Affairs Office at [email protected].
free him now
So who goes on trial for the war crimes Manning exposed, and how much of this is about the military saving face?
I would have done the same things if in his position. That said, it’s a safe bet that I will never be in a position to do what he did!
Unfair.
“And if all others accepted the lie which the Party imposed-if all records told the same tale-then the lie passed into history and became truth. ‘Who controls the past’ ran the Party slogan, ‘controls the future: who controls the present controls the past.’”
- George Orwell, 198
What a disgusting and false show trail of someone who did nothing wrong – unless you consider reporting truth’s unlawful. USA = the west’s biggest dictator.
“Until they become conscious they will never rebel, and until after they they have rebelled they cannot become conscious.”
- George Orwell, 1984
Loser probably surfs 4 chan, too. He deserves whatever he gets. And no, I do not like Obama. I dont like the legal system, I thikn it is quite broken. But, I hope he spends the rest of his life locked up.
Incidentally, I support WikiLeaks, in as far as the release and exposure of corporate or other documents that are non-potentially damaging to national security.
He wasnt a citizen, he was government property and knew the implications and risks he was taking when he made his decision. He can put on his big-boy pants and deal with the consequences.
This is all about retribution against whomever would dare expose the seedy inner workings of the Imperial US Government, and it’s meant to have a chilling effect on anyone else that might be possessed with a conscience and tempted to do such a noble thing. Bradley Manning is a national hero, and we should pray that he’s recognized as such during his lifetime.
Whatever, Manning is a traitorous coward who desreves to never be free again. Am sure he will get a light sentence, no where near enuf for the trust he violated.
the military is not a career it is a business…a secretive corporate industry that wreaks of death…bradley tried to slow down the killing machine…he is a conscientious objector…and now a political prisoner!
Bradley Manning is a very courageous man. Most military personal are mindless brainwashed followers that would do nothing if they saw their forces committing war crimes in a foreign country. It’s a simple logic of what is right and wrong, like the fellow that reported the atrosities committed at Abu Graib. Fanatical patriotic brainwashing eliminates the quest for the difference between right & wrong.
@Fdagators To speak of violated trust is obscenely laughable. You overlook the violation of trust to the American people by the multitude of lies that got us into the war in Iraq to begin with and the institutional secrecy that the helicopter pilots relied on to cover up their crimes.
PFC Manning has already been punished and has subsequently been charged with the crime of telling the truth about the corrupt and ego-maniacal system that has taken over our government.
YouTube is full of vids showing soldiers doing terrible stuff. We only see a tiny part of what’s really going on, where as the innocent people that live in these war torn countries see and experience the horror first hand. Is this really the way to gain popularity and end terrorism? Bradley isn’t a threat to national security, the government are.
I take it Starr knew all along what being “government property” means today:
Obliged to support wickedness if your commanding officer orders it.
Remind anybody of 1933 in another country – one of our allies now…?
Frankly, I wonder how long it will be before the H.C. Andersen story, “The Emperor’s New Clothes” will no longer be allowed on our school bookshelves.
He could he avoided this in so many ways.
1. Take any evidence of a crime (not 100′s of thousands of documents) to your change of command and report it. Do it repeatedly if necessary to let them know you’re serious. If it doesn’t work – document it.
2. Then go outside of the chain to a REPUTABLE news organization.
He didn’t do any of this. That’s why he’s going to a court martial. Pretty dumb for such a “smart” kid.
So here we have the evidence that definitely shows that the Military is in breach of all kinds of legal and moral obligations
The American people have over many years worked tirelessly to try to be the Moral some Scumbag Higher Echelons who have abdicated their positions as leaders to do the right thing
Why has this happened where is the ” Truth Justice and the American Way ” Gone ?????
Long live those brave enough to Blow the whistle because the Military can find them guilty but the truth will stand forever
If there’s one thing Bradley Manning isn’t, it’s a coward. To call him one is purely idiotic.
Free Bradley Manning! That biased show and hide trial was a joke! Obama and his War on Truth is not the change I voted for! Won’t again. The treatment of Manning was inhumane and I am ashamed to live in this country. Shame on the Obama Administration and its motives! @Fdgators it is sad you are such an ignorant fool!
..the military is just a government run mafia…the government was shown to be a hypocrite…and they don’t like that….they have all power and can twist words and events to make it look as if the other person is in the wrong…..the government is never wrong , according to them
Mannig will receive a light sentence.
US army is in real trouble if you just think of the urinating soldiers in Afghanistan.. It really gives a glimpse into how bad their chain of command is. No wonder Mannings unit played computer games on classified networks. Plus video watching.. The fish rots from the head.. US army really needs to send their kids back to school.
The USA is the worlds biggest exporter of war, terror, torture and death. It’s a $multi Billion industry and the US vested interests will stop at nothing to make sure it’s business as usual.
Bradley Manning is just a porn and is being used as an example to anyone else who might dare to challenge the system.
Obama can do nothing. He is just a tool of the Zionists and the capitalists. If he were to step out of line he would go the same way as the Kennnedys.
When ‘economic terms’ form values for a society, then these values are consumed by an integral economy that does not reflect the human condition of the original concept of citizenship, a life defined by sincerity and dignity towards the ideals of a democratic society. Under this light, ‘Aletheia’, the ‘measure’ of sincerity that stands between a woman’s/man’s words and their actions is destined not to prevail. If Bradley Manning is perceived as ‘property’ of the army of a state and therefore not entitled to reflect, evaluate and communicate on what stands between his words, his actions and the society he lives in, then the criteria of that perception rules in effect against the ethics of any democratic society. In order for something to become it has to be..The world is watching.
protest against the people who oppress you all
Amerika is the new China. This is so unfair. I hope he will be free soon.
If all Americans had the courage of Bradley, our nation would not have gone down the tubes of moral depravity and financial ruin. What has happened to the Land of the Free and Home of the Brave? Judging from the comments of the gung-ho military-minded Starr and Fdagators types, we have enough German-style “Good Soldiers” to back the Fuhrer and take the nation down the rest of the way. This is assuredly a show trial. A Kangaroo court. Where are the defenders of our Constitution? We need them NOW!
That whole thing about government property is B.S. Read your 13th and 14th Amendments. What they come down to is this: NO PERSON can LEGALLY be considered PROPERTY, by any other person or organization, INCLUDING the GOVERNMENT.
Oh, and I’m a former United States Marine, and I suppport Bradley Manning’s battle for TRUTH.
@Pat G: Please call it “Nazi-style Good Soldiers”. I as a modern times German also condemn what US gov does to people who dare to tell the truth.
Pat, your an idiot. I wasnt going to resort to stupidity, but when you likened the good americans who choose to protect Our counttry and its way of ife, i will get in the mud and wrestle with you. You say that PFC Manning has courage? If he had “Courage”, wich I suggest you look at the definition, he would have done the right thing. If he knew of wrongdoing and his superiors did nothing about it, then he should have went over their heads. That is courage. Knowingly violating his oath of enlistment is not courage. Knowingly violating the agreement that he signed to be authorized to process classified documents is not courage. PFC Manning did what he did knowing it was wrong, knowing that it would jeopardize the safety of other ServiceMen and Women.
George, you are an idiot too. The people urinating on dead bodies were Marines, Not the U.S. Army. Sheesh! Thats the problem with you freakin Leberal Jackasses, you here 25% of what is going on and you think you know everything. You dont know anything!!!
To Ed Ness. The people who make up Americas Armed Forces are American Citizens with a desire to serve and make their country strong. Noone is brainwashed. These good Americans deserve your respect, not your derision. It makes for a good movie when you just assume that everyone in uniform is in on some grand conspiracy, but reality is far from that. A few bad apples does not characterize the Military no more than it does the American Society itself.
“Noone is brainwashed.” made me LOL.
Fdagators, we cant take you seriously. First and foremost because you deny that armed forces members are not brainwashed (“noone is brainwashed”). This contradicts with what i have been told by ex US army military personel.
Consequence: Fdagators, please stop wasting our time. Thank you.
I am ex US Military and I am telling you that noone is brainwashed. Why is my word not good? Is it because it doesnt serve your purpose? You are the one who makes claims of US Army personnel urinating on dead bodies when it is Marines. You are the one acting on bad information without confirming what you are talking about.
You have to be careful with whatyou are told. Just because someone tells you something doesnt make it real. The people leaving the Military who say bad things about it are usually people who did not have a good experience, and are being kicked out for not complying with regulations. If you just take their word, am sure you will not have a good opinion of the Military.
Jupito, Why did that make you laugh?
Frther to this totally incredible issue is the self ritious Government getting all testy about a few marines urinating on corpses
It is OK to blow pwople to smitherenes including innocent civilians menn women and children but Peeing in the enemy Wow what a disgusting thing
The madia blocks out the Marines Weiners because of some sort of ill found Censorship but has no problem showing mutilated bodies
America I think you should have a good hard look at yourselves yo are just about at the bottom of the pile I am afraid
the only thing bradly did wrong was to confide his heroic act to someone….my advice is that if you are going to expose corruption..keep it to yourself..its what the bible tells us to do..if you give to charity…ladies and genlemen please take joy knowing that you have done well.
@ ceeceego. There is nothing heroic nor honorable about what PFC Manning did. He is a coward, when confronted with a dificult situation, chose to do the wrong thing instead of stand up to his superiors and make sure right happened. He ran away from the situation instead of confronting it. If this is how you define a heroe you are sadly mistaken and probably as morally bankrupt as he is.
he should be set free immediately and named a hero for having the bravery to show us the terrible war crimes that are going on overseas!!
Fdagators-
It take no courage to go-along and get-along and turn a blind eye to atrocities and war crimes being committed around you.
How dare you say it was not courageous to buck the system?
Bradley DID try to go through the chain of command.
He realized the chain of command was aiding and abetting the war crimes and going up the chain of command would NOT put stop to the barbaric, cruel, and illegal behavior.
Why are you defending traitors to the Constitution?
Shame on the Government for punishing Bradley. He should be given a medal for exposing the truth.
this guy is no traitor…..so now it is illegal to be a whistle blower on war crimes……WTF, and of course the government will make it appear that way…..every since 9/11 they’ve said that they over classified almost all documents…and half this stuff the government officials already new about….IT’S OLD NEWS….the government got caught and he exposed all the stuff that they didn’t want americans to see on how they screwed up majorly…the cat is out of the bag…SUPRISE!!! OUR GOVERNMENT IS SHADY AND SCANDALOUS……
Pat G.-
If you’re referring to the “Collateral Murder” being released, then, well, you’re wrong. By the time the video was leaked online it had already been shown to the chain of command and a formal investigation was done to determine if wrong doing had happened. It was decided that none had, and while those Reuters reporters deaths were tragic, they were ultimately the partially the fault of the Reuters reporters embedding themselves in an enemy unit and not properly identifying themselves.
Also, if this were about just this isolated incident, Manning would have a solid court case for “whistleblower” status.
Unfortunately, Manning took it upon himself to release hundreds of thousands of documents – mostly relating to no particular incident in question. In fact, he admitted to not even reading all the documents, so how would he even know if what he was releasing to wikileaks would cause harm to the United States?
He wouldn’t have.
That’s why he’s in trouble right now. NOT because he tried to be a whistleblower, but because he tried to basically spam classified documents into the public. Oops.
Bad choice Bradley. You’ll be spending a long time in Leavenworth for that mistake.
for Starr.
Controversy is again surrounding the U.S. military with the most recent viral video of Marines urinating on dead Taliban (video below), an action which is defined as a war crime by the Geneva conventions and has been called “deplorable” by Defense Secretary Leon and promised a full investigation.
This is not the first time that U.S. forces have drawn attention to themselves for similar acts, adding to their already-lengthy record of violating human rights in the Middle East. Human rights violations like this one only add to a record which not only tarnishes America’s reputation but also can derail many U.S. efforts in the Middle East.
In a war crime last year committed by the Army, 11 soldiers were convicted of the murders of three Afghan civilians by a “kill squad” led by a squad commander in which those accused collected the deceased’s body parts as war trophies and posed with them for pictures. The incident was described as killing “for sport.”
These incidents of course are reminiscent of another major human rights incident in 2004, when Army personnel posed with hooded and naked Iraqi prisoners at Abu Ghraib prison in what amounted to physical and psychological sexual abuse. It sparked national media frenzy, after pictures of the abuse were broadcasted, which enraged and sickened many Americans.
It is these actions that have stained not only the mind of Americans but of people around the world. When picturing U.S. forces, people will inevitably imagine men and women who have formed a habit of and derive great pleasure from torturing prisoners and citizens on countless occasions. This will be the reputation that precedes any diplomatic conversation with the United States, creating more hurdles for foreign relations than necessary.
The video of the Marines urinating on dead Taliban surfaces at a time of delicate talks between American-led coalition forces and the Taliban, attempting to bring greater political stability to Afghanistan. While Taliban officials said that the video controversy will not affect the talks, it is an incident which will inevitably remain in the forefront of their minds any time the mention of the U.S. presence in Afghanistan arises.
What’s to stop a country’s leader and officials from trusting the U.S. forces, when the men and women who claim to uphold our nation’s standards do nothing of the sort? With a reputation of abuse, there is no reason other countries should turn towards the U.S. military for help or support. Diplomatic conversations cannot and will not be taken seriously with a group of people who show no respect to others, a serious hindrance to any kind of political agenda the country could have hoped to have.
The exposure of gross wrongdoing by US Military forces, had to made public if there was any possibility of getting the tragic situation corrected. The chain of command had already defaulted credibility by justifying it and not taking corrective action.
The future of the American reputation for truth and fairness is dependant on examples of More Bradley Mannings being willing to stand up to military arrogance that plays into the hands of United States enemies.
Why is Karl Rove making millions off his book peddling tour instead of rotting in a hole in Quantico for doing worse than Manning is even falsely accused of? Jesus, Joseph and Mary this country has gotten to be a $$$$ewer.
We see the “small fry ” getting burned in this issue but what of the Big Fish like Rumsveldt and Wolferwitz and George W and Patraeas who have really been the CEOs and Top Parts of the System . How is it that they are not on trial for their part in condoning such acts of cruelty and deceit
Lets see the true leadership in this issue come forward or are the Military just weak asses who rely on someone else to do their dirty work for them so they can get away with murder
Suppose a Bradley Manning or someone just as moral were to expose the Iraq “war”? How many lives could have been saved? But Bush and friends spent a year and and a half convincing the American people of LIES! Then they turn around later after the whole invasion of Iraq and say ‘Oh, we were wrong. heh heh. Oh well.’ The on and on and on. I am disgusted at the U.S.A. with much more than this, but I will keep it to myself now.
The USA is only interested in making $ billions of dollars daily. Its main easy way is War, terrorism , torture and death. The USA vested interests will stop at nothing to make sure it’s business as usual.
Bradley Manning is just a porn and is being used as an example to anyone else who might dare to challenge the system.
Obama can do nothing. He is just a tool of the Zionists and the capitalists. If he were to step out of line he would go the same way as the Kennnedys.
ken stanger
I regret to say this country and it’s constant war business, killing innocent souls who have no voice to be heard anymore, is very sad. But what can we REALLY do about it? We are being controlled by the guys nobody would want to tangle with-the REAL people who control this country. I think you know who they are. Bradley Manning tangled with his sense of morality and the horrors of war. He is paying the “price” of his convictions-not from Jesus, the final judge, but the people who PLAY GOD, who everyone has to answer to. They are not in the least exempt from the final judgement either. I would also like to add that Julian Assange is a hero who deserves no punishment for revealing the truth to the public. Our tax dollars go to these immoral wars. Everyone is paying the price for TRUTH, JUSTICE, THE AMERICAN WAY!
Well … what kind of legal defense is it, if Bradley Manning’s attorney is asking for a 30 years in prision sentence … saying this should be enough …
Just a reminder: Albert Speer, responsible for the death of more than half a million jewish people got a sentence of just 20 years during the Nürnberg trial back in 1946 …
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuremberg_Trials
Dear Bradley,
your case is watched from around the world! Please keep your strength up! You are my hero!
Hans (Hamburg/Germany)
@Hans Bradley’s attorney isn’t asking for 30 years. He was arguing for a reduction in the number of charges Bradley was facing, and explaining that even 30 years would be a long time. He was hoping to get the charges reduced, and then would have had fewer charges to argue against at the court martial.
It is really difficult for me to get this “concept” of adding up charges … I can’t see the intention of justice than (atleast for me) it is pure revenge from the army trying to maximize the charges against Bradley …
Or could the prosecutor give a single name of a person, which got damaged by Bradley? …
This way of prosecution has nothing to do with justice!