Manning defence queries security
Bradley Manning is escorted from court by military officials. Photo: AFP
DEFENCE lawyers for US Army private Bradley Manning questioned military officers about the intelligence analyst’s dealings with classified information, suggesting that computer security at his Iraq base was lax and rules were routinely broken.
Prosecutors sought to emphasise that Manning, the 24-year-old accused of sending hundreds of thousands of classified files to the anti-secrecy group WikiLeaks, was well trained in how to handle sensitive information and knew not to distribute it.
Manning’s direct supervisor, Sergeant First Class Paul Adkins, was to testify on Sunday, the third day of a military hearing to determine whether Manning’s case should proceed to a court martial, but invoked his Article 31 rights, similar to the fifth Amendment protection against self-incrimination.
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Manning is charged with aiding the enemy and violating the Espionage Act. If found guilty, he could be sentenced to life in prison.
Defence lawyers have tried to argue that superiors such as Sergeant Adkins should have recognised Manning’s emotional problems and cut off his access to classified information.
According to previous testimony, Manning had emailed Sergeant Adkins saying he was confused about his gender identity and sent him a picture of himself dressed as a woman.
On Sunday, Special Agent David Shaver, who investigated Manning, testified that he found thousands of classified files on Manning’s computer. They included 10,000 State Department cables and video of an Apache helicopter attack on civilians, which was released by WikiLeaks.
Soldiers routinely stored music and games on a network used to store classified information, witnesses said.
They also played pirated movies bought from Iraqis on the computers, according to the testimony.
Captain Thomas Cherepko, who managed the computer network at Manning’s base, said he didn’t know of anyone being disciplined for putting unauthorised programs on the classified computer drive.
Captain Cherepko also acknowledged that he had received a letter of admonition in March for failing to accredit and certify the network.
The hearing’s presiding officer, Lieutenant-Colonel Paul Almanza, will recommend whether the case will proceed to court martial.
Given the amount of evidence expected in the case, it could be weeks before a decision is made, a legal expert with the army said.
BALTIMORE SUN
