Manning to face death penalty

Mar 3, 2011 2:34 PM
Filed under Security

Aiding the enemy charge a capital offence.

Bradley Manning faces the death penalty as charges against the US Army private were revealed yesterday.

US Government charges against Bradley Manning included illicitly accessing several secret databases in Iraq and Afghanistan and violating a Microsoft Sharepoint and Exchange database.

The US Government said it would not seek the death penalty in the case of Manning, alleged to have leaked secret State Department cables to whistleblower site Wikileaks, but the decision was out of its hands, reported Wired's Threat Level security blog.

The charges were:

Aiding the enemy (capital offence)
Theft of public property or records (five counts)
Computer fraud (two counts)
Transmitting defence information in violation of the Espionage Act (eight counts),
Wrongfully causing intelligence to be published on the internet knowing it would be accessible to the enemy
Violating Army computer security regulations (five counts)

“The new charges more accurately reflect the broad scope of the crimes that private first class Manning is accused of committing,” said US military spokesman John Haberland.

Wired speculated the charges could impact the extradition of Wikileaks publisher Julian Assange from Britain for questioning in Sweden over alleged sex crimes there.

His supporters argued that Assange could be rendered out of Swedish hands to face the death penalty in the US if he was extradited.

"The assertion was considered an exaggeration at the time since even Manning was not facing a capital offence," wrote Wired reporter Kim Zetter.

"But the issue is sure to figure more prominently now in Assange’s appeal of UK court’s extradition order."

Manning has been kept in conditions his supporters claim amount to torture since his arrest last May.

The Manning charge sheet [PDF] is at Threat Level.

Bradley Manning faces the death penalty for allegedly leaking State Department cables to Wikileaks, a charge that impacts the extradition of its publisher, Julian Assange, says Wired.

8 comments in this discussion

"Like I said @midspace, where there is mutual agreement between countries, that kind of action can occur. Usually gets complicated though. For example, if the murder happened in Australia, the ..."

By Ace

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Comments: 8

midspace Mar 3, 2011 3:34 PM	Who's this "enemy" that he allegedly aided?
maxama Mar 3, 2011 3:40 PM	Showing how currupt the U.S Government is and how they killed innocent people = a trillion accounts of guilt and a capital offence. The U.S wrongfully back stabbing and mocking head leaders in this global economy and having it published on the Internet = Priceless !!!
ITnovice Mar 4, 2011 10:38 PM	It seems that freedom of speech does not extend to uncovering and airing America's dirty deeds. The US seems to think that shooting the messenger is acceptable when it suits their views on an issue. If Manning had hacked and leaked all of China's state secrets the guy would have been hailed a hero and awarded a prize.
Ace Mar 5, 2011 12:17 AM	It's US law @ITnovice. A US citizen in the US, breaking US laws. I'm pretty sure the same thing would happen in Australia. I can't see how a US citizen in the US hacking into and leaking China state secrets would be breaking US law. Does any country have laws preventing foreign espionage - accept through mtual agreement? I think in court it would be pretty easy to show that the accused knew that the material leaked to Wikileaks would be published publically, and therefore would be accessible by enemies of the US.
BigAussie Mar 6, 2011 2:31 PM	@Ace - Australian and US Governments need to become much more transparent in their dealings with other countries. Wikileaks is forcing this issue. The joke today is Australia is almost a 53rd state of America. I really feel for Manning; but even he has said he is willing to be "murdered/face the death penalty" so that this information went out to the public. Governments all over the world need to be reminded they are Public Servants; working for the good of their people. Not just to feather their nests. Especially when dealing with other countries, it would be in everyones best interests if all the rubbish was taken away and replaced with honest discussion instead of the power games so many of them use. About time they all had a reality check; and remember who it is that pays their wages. Taxes from their hard working countrymen. Sounds idealistic; but if you don't start somewhere, George Orwell's 1984 may just be 27 years late.
Ace Mar 7, 2011 12:24 AM	I don't think the political motives have a lot to do with the way the law is applied. Unfortunately, action like Mannings can only backfire and make things worse. Now governments are going to be REALLY careful about hiding things. And they'll spend much larger amounts of taxpayer dollars to ensure this. What's more, the Australian governemt is going to be a lot less aware of what is going on overseas because Australian officials overseas cannot write effective reports on sensitive subjects because they now realise there are people who do not respect privacy and confidenciality. Do you prefer your employees to give you watered down reports that won't offend anyone? People need to vote in officials they believe will help increase transparency on the specific policies or portfolios that need transparency increased. That is the way things get done in a democracy. I don't agree with this idea that all public servants are some kind of burden. The vast majority appear to me to be underpaid, under resourced and treated quite poorly. Governments in Australia are reminded every 3 years that they are 'working for the good of the people'. Do people vote on whether you get to keep your job every 3 years? True there are always a handful of rotten eggs, but name any group/industry of people that doesn't have such eggs.
midspace Mar 7, 2011 10:47 AM	@Ace. The US don't seem to care where an offence occurs. Citing the "Honeymoon Killer" case. The state of Alabama are trying to put a US man on trail for a crime that occurred in Australia! (Though trial documents indicate they are going to try him for planning the murder whilst still in the US.) This is the absurdity of the US legal system. The lawyers run the country, not the politicians. @BigAussie. I thought we were the 52nd State. At the rate this is going, Manning is going to become a martyr for free speech whether he’s guilty or not.
Ace Mar 7, 2011 3:06 PM	Like I said @midspace, where there is mutual agreement between countries, that kind of action can occur. Usually gets complicated though. For example, if the murder happened in Australia, the Australian justice system will want to put him on trial, convict him and lock him up right here in Australia. I believe there is some kind of exception to extradition where the convict or accused will be sent to a place that supports the death penalty. In the Honeymoon case, I think it's based on a US citizen being murdered. It's nice that they care about their citizens that much I guess.