Bradley Manning case hears of secret computer files

Bradley Manning's lawyers say he has struggled with gender issues and was bullied by other soldiers

 

 

 

Alleged whistleblower Bradley Manning's lawyers are questioning a witness over potentially damning evidence, on day four of the court-martial hearing.

Investigator David Shaver took the stand again a day after testifying that he found 10,000 state department cables on a computer used by the defendant.
Mr Shaver also said internet searches for Wikileaks were found on another workstation used by the defendant.
The hearing will determine if the 24-year-old should face a court-martial.
Charged with 22 counts of distributing state secrets, the Oklahoma native could face life in prison if convicted.
Court cleared The court at Fort Meade military base in the US state of Maryland was cleared of the media and general public for about half an hour, despite objections from the defence, so that Mr Shaver could testify about the classified material.
Supporters of Pte Manning, who have been demonstrating near the main entrance of the base, voiced outrage at the closed court session.
One organisation, the Bradley Manning Support Group, said the move was an attempt "to prevent journalists and the public from reporting on testimony related to materials that are already in the public domain".

Internet searches for Julian Assange were allegedly found on Pte Manning's computer

During cross-examination by the defence, Mr Shaver acknowledged some of the classified documents found on the computer were not among those published on Wikileaks.
The file, which was damaged, could only be opened using special tools and could be one reason why the contents were never made public, he said.
Mr Shaver's testimony on Sunday was the first to link Pte Manning with the secret US documents that appeared on Wikileaks, one of the most serious intelligence breaches in American history.
The special agent with the Computer Crimes Investigative Unit said that among the classified files on the computer were several versions of a helicopter attack video from 2007 and assessments of Guantanamo Bay detainees.
Mr Shaver said the material was linked to Pte Manning's user profile, including more than 100 searches for "Wikileaks" and "Julian Assange" - the website's founder.
He also told the court the searches had struck him as unusual, given that the machine was supposed to be for analysing intelligence about Iraq.
Pte Manning's legal team have asked why the soldier's superiors did not suspend his security clearance despite his unpredictable behaviour, which included turning furniture over in a fit of rage.
A supervisor who was called to testify on Sunday invoked his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination and did not take the stand.
Defence lawyers have also said Pte Manning struggled with gender issues and was bullied by fellow soldiers.
Other witnesses on Sunday painted a picture of a soldier who was solitary and had difficulty integrating with his unit.
The hearing is due to continue for several days.