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Bradley Manning pleads guilty to some Wikileaks charges Bradley Manning pleads guilty to some Wikileaks charges
(35 minutes later)
The US soldier accused of leaking large amounts of secret data to Wikileaks has pleaded guilty to a series of 10 lesser charges, US media report.The US soldier accused of leaking large amounts of secret data to Wikileaks has pleaded guilty to a series of 10 lesser charges, US media report.
But Pfc Bradley Manning, 25, denied the most serious charge against him, aiding the enemy, and may still be prosecuted.But Pfc Bradley Manning, 25, denied the most serious charge against him, aiding the enemy, and may still be prosecuted.
A military judge will now decide whether to accept the guilty pleas, with which he faces 20 years in prison.A military judge will now decide whether to accept the guilty pleas, with which he faces 20 years in prison.
On Thursday, Pfc Manning told the court he leaked documents to spark debate on military and foreign policy.On Thursday, Pfc Manning told the court he leaked documents to spark debate on military and foreign policy.
Pfc Manning last spoke in court in November about his treatment in Kuwait and in the US after his 2010 arrest.Pfc Manning last spoke in court in November about his treatment in Kuwait and in the US after his 2010 arrest.
He described being locked up alone for 23 hours a day in a small cell for nearly nine months at a high-security jail in Quantico, Virginia.He described being locked up alone for 23 hours a day in a small cell for nearly nine months at a high-security jail in Quantico, Virginia.
At the military court in Fort Meade, Maryland, the judge, Col Denise Lind, must now decide whether to accept the guilty pleas.At the military court in Fort Meade, Maryland, the judge, Col Denise Lind, must now decide whether to accept the guilty pleas.
Prosecutors can still pursue a trial on the remaining 12 charges, including aiding the enemy, which carries a potential life sentence.Prosecutors can still pursue a trial on the remaining 12 charges, including aiding the enemy, which carries a potential life sentence.
Held for 1,000 daysHeld for 1,000 days
Bradley Manning does not deny providing Wikileaks with around half a million classified documents, but he does dispute the charge that he did this to aid America's enemies.
For the first time, the young private had an opportunity to explain to the court why he did what he did.
Despite the objections of the prosecution, he was allowed to read from a 35-page statement in which he said the classified documents represented what he called "the underground realities" of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
The soldier's supporters continue to regard him as a heroic whistleblower, subjected to cruel and humiliating punishment by a vindictive military. The Army may still want to prove him a traitor.
Pfc Manning is accused of sending thousands of battlefield reports from both Afghanistan and Iraq, 250,000 diplomatic cables, and other classified material to the WikiLeaks website in 2009 and 2010 while working as an Army intelligence analyst in Baghdad.Pfc Manning is accused of sending thousands of battlefield reports from both Afghanistan and Iraq, 250,000 diplomatic cables, and other classified material to the WikiLeaks website in 2009 and 2010 while working as an Army intelligence analyst in Baghdad.
It is considered the largest-ever leak of secret US government documents.It is considered the largest-ever leak of secret US government documents.
Pfc Manning told the court on Thursday he believed that if the public had access to the information it would spark a domestic debate on the military and on foreign policy, Reuters reported from the courtroom.Pfc Manning told the court on Thursday he believed that if the public had access to the information it would spark a domestic debate on the military and on foreign policy, Reuters reported from the courtroom.
He said he would plead guilty to sending the documents to WikiLeaks in violation of military regulations, but would not plead guilty to a violation of federal espionage laws.He said he would plead guilty to sending the documents to WikiLeaks in violation of military regulations, but would not plead guilty to a violation of federal espionage laws.
The Obama administration has said the leaks threatened valuable military and diplomatic sources.The Obama administration has said the leaks threatened valuable military and diplomatic sources.
Supporters, who consider him a whistleblower who exposed war crimes and helped trigger the political turmoil of the Arab Spring, held events on Saturday to mark his 1,000th day of detention.Supporters, who consider him a whistleblower who exposed war crimes and helped trigger the political turmoil of the Arab Spring, held events on Saturday to mark his 1,000th day of detention.
The judge has ruled any eventual prison sentence should be reduced by 112 days due to his treatment at a maximum security facility in Virginia earlier in the case.The judge has ruled any eventual prison sentence should be reduced by 112 days due to his treatment at a maximum security facility in Virginia earlier in the case.
He has since been transferred to a medium-security jail.He has since been transferred to a medium-security jail.