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| Version 3 | Version 4 |
|---|---|
| Wikileaks suspect Bradley Manning on trial | Wikileaks suspect Bradley Manning on trial |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| The court martial for the US soldier accused of leaking large numbers of classified documents to Wikileaks has begun in Fort Meade, Maryland. | The court martial for the US soldier accused of leaking large numbers of classified documents to Wikileaks has begun in Fort Meade, Maryland. |
| Pte Bradley Manning allegedly sent 250,000 diplomatic cables and 500,000 battlefield reports from Afghanistan and Iraq to Wikileaks in 2009 and 2010. | Pte Bradley Manning allegedly sent 250,000 diplomatic cables and 500,000 battlefield reports from Afghanistan and Iraq to Wikileaks in 2009 and 2010. |
| He has pleaded guilty to 10 of the 22 charges against him but not to the most serious charge of aiding the enemy. | He has pleaded guilty to 10 of the 22 charges against him but not to the most serious charge of aiding the enemy. |
| It is considered the largest-ever leak of secret US government documents. | It is considered the largest-ever leak of secret US government documents. |
| If found guilty of the more serious charges, Pte Manning, 25, faces up to life in prison. | If found guilty of the more serious charges, Pte Manning, 25, faces up to life in prison. |
| In opening statements on Monday, prosecutor Capt Joe Morrow called the case an example of what happened "when arrogance met access". | |
| 'Harvest' of documents | |
| Capt Morrow argued the case was not about a leak of targeted information but about a soldier who had "harvested" hundreds of thousands of documents and dumped them onto the internet where they could be of use to the country's enemies. | |
| He added that Osama bin Laden had gained access to some of the Wikileaks information - and had used it. | |
| The prosecution's opening arguments directly tie to the most serious charge against Pte Manning, aiding the enemy. To obtain a conviction, prosecutors must prove Pte Manning acted with intent "to aid the enemy" and knowingly gave such adversaries US intelligence information. | |
| The BBC's Mark Mardell says the prosecution's argument - that releasing such information onto the internet counts as aiding the enemy - has serious implications for anyone leaking classified information in the future. | |
| Our correspondent adds the military will aim to show the information was of "great value" to US enemies, but supporters argue all Pte Manning did was make public what should never have been private. | |
| 'Bloodlust' | 'Bloodlust' |
| Pte Manning, who was arrested in May 2010 while serving in Iraq, has not denied leaking the documents. | Pte Manning, who was arrested in May 2010 while serving in Iraq, has not denied leaking the documents. |
| He told a pre-trial hearing in February he divulged the documents to spark a public debate on the role of the US military and foreign policy. | He told a pre-trial hearing in February he divulged the documents to spark a public debate on the role of the US military and foreign policy. |
| However, prosecutors arguing on behalf of the US government say the leaks damaged national security and endangered American lives. | However, prosecutors arguing on behalf of the US government say the leaks damaged national security and endangered American lives. |
| One of the leaked videos shows graphic footage of an Apache helicopter attack in 2007 that killed a dozen people in Baghdad, including a Reuters photographer. | One of the leaked videos shows graphic footage of an Apache helicopter attack in 2007 that killed a dozen people in Baghdad, including a Reuters photographer. |
| "The most alarming aspect of the video to me was the seemingly delightful bloodlust the aerial weapons team happened to have," he said at the pre-trial hearing, comparing the troops to children "torturing ants with a magnifying glass". | "The most alarming aspect of the video to me was the seemingly delightful bloodlust the aerial weapons team happened to have," he said at the pre-trial hearing, comparing the troops to children "torturing ants with a magnifying glass". |
| Other documents leaked included thousands of battlefield reports from Afghanistan and Iraq, as well as secure messages between US embassies and the state department in Washington. | Other documents leaked included thousands of battlefield reports from Afghanistan and Iraq, as well as secure messages between US embassies and the state department in Washington. |
| Dozens of witnesses are expected to testify at the trial. | Dozens of witnesses are expected to testify at the trial. |
| He will get a 112-day reduction in any jail sentence he receives after a judge ruled he had suffered unduly harsh treatment during his nine-month detention after his arrest. | He will get a 112-day reduction in any jail sentence he receives after a judge ruled he had suffered unduly harsh treatment during his nine-month detention after his arrest. |
| Hero or traitor | Hero or traitor |
| Pte Manning's lawyer David Coombs thanked supporters who had rallied outside Fort Meade ahead of his court martial. | Pte Manning's lawyer David Coombs thanked supporters who had rallied outside Fort Meade ahead of his court martial. |
| The BBC's North America editor Mark Mardell says some people see Pte Manning as a hero who stripped away layers of the secret state, whereas others believe he is a traitor. | The BBC's North America editor Mark Mardell says some people see Pte Manning as a hero who stripped away layers of the secret state, whereas others believe he is a traitor. |
| The soldier chose to have his court martial heard by a judge instead of a jury. It is expected to run all summer. | The soldier chose to have his court martial heard by a judge instead of a jury. It is expected to run all summer. |
| Judge Col Denise Lind ruled in May she would close parts of the trial to the public to protect classified material. | Judge Col Denise Lind ruled in May she would close parts of the trial to the public to protect classified material. |
| Meanwhile the UK government said on Sunday it was considering a request from Ecuador to hold talks on the future of Wikileaks founder Julian Assange. | Meanwhile the UK government said on Sunday it was considering a request from Ecuador to hold talks on the future of Wikileaks founder Julian Assange. |
| Mr Assange has lived in the Ecuadorean embassy in London for a year, having been granted political asylum there. | Mr Assange has lived in the Ecuadorean embassy in London for a year, having been granted political asylum there. |
| He faces extradition to Sweden over sex allegations, which he denies. | He faces extradition to Sweden over sex allegations, which he denies. |