Expert's testimony links Manning to WikiLeaks
Source: Agencies |
December 20, 2011, Tuesday
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THE United States military hearing for Private Bradley Manning entered its fourth day yesterday as officials seek to determine whether the Army intelligence analyst charged with giving classified information to WikiLeaks will be court-martialed.
Yesterday's testimony was to focus on a forensic examination of Manning's two workplace computers. An investigator testified on Sunday that he found more than 10,000 downloaded diplomatic cables and other sensitive information on a computer Manning used. Digital crimes investigator David Shaver said the other computer was used to conduct online searches for WikiLeaks and its founder, Julian Assange.
Shaver's testimony provided the first hard evidence linking Manning to the unauthorized release of hundreds of thousands of documents that ended up on WikiLeaks.
Manning's lawyers intend to cross-examine Shaver yesterday. They argue the leaked material did little or no damage to US interests.
The hearing will determine whether Manning will be court-martialed on 22 charges, including aiding the enemy. The 24-year-old could face life in prison if convicted.
Manning's defense pressed the government on Sunday to explain why a private said to have upended furniture in fits of rage and exhibited a pattern of troubled behavior was allowed to keep working with highly sensitive information. A supervisor refused to testify.
The tone changed late in the day when the government called Shaver to testify.
Shaver told the hearing that in addition to the State Department cables, he found several versions of a deadly 2007 helicopter attack video and secret assessments of Guantanamo Bay terrorist detainees. He also said he discovered evidence that someone had used the computer to streamline the downloading of cables with the apparent aim of "moving them out."
All the material was linked to the username bradley.manning or Manning's user profile, Shaver said. On the second computer used by the private, he said, he found evidence that someone had conducted more than 100 searches using the keywords "WikiLeaks" and "Julian Assange," the organization's leader.
Those terms seemed "out of place" on a computer that was used for analyzing intelligence about Iraq, said Shaver.
Manning didn't speak on Sunday except for the few occasions he leaned over to consult with his civilian defense attorney, David Coombs. Manning's lawyers have neither acknowledged nor denied that the intelligence analyst was behind the leaks.
Yesterday's testimony was to focus on a forensic examination of Manning's two workplace computers. An investigator testified on Sunday that he found more than 10,000 downloaded diplomatic cables and other sensitive information on a computer Manning used. Digital crimes investigator David Shaver said the other computer was used to conduct online searches for WikiLeaks and its founder, Julian Assange.
Shaver's testimony provided the first hard evidence linking Manning to the unauthorized release of hundreds of thousands of documents that ended up on WikiLeaks.
Manning's lawyers intend to cross-examine Shaver yesterday. They argue the leaked material did little or no damage to US interests.
The hearing will determine whether Manning will be court-martialed on 22 charges, including aiding the enemy. The 24-year-old could face life in prison if convicted.
Manning's defense pressed the government on Sunday to explain why a private said to have upended furniture in fits of rage and exhibited a pattern of troubled behavior was allowed to keep working with highly sensitive information. A supervisor refused to testify.
The tone changed late in the day when the government called Shaver to testify.
Shaver told the hearing that in addition to the State Department cables, he found several versions of a deadly 2007 helicopter attack video and secret assessments of Guantanamo Bay terrorist detainees. He also said he discovered evidence that someone had used the computer to streamline the downloading of cables with the apparent aim of "moving them out."
All the material was linked to the username bradley.manning or Manning's user profile, Shaver said. On the second computer used by the private, he said, he found evidence that someone had conducted more than 100 searches using the keywords "WikiLeaks" and "Julian Assange," the organization's leader.
Those terms seemed "out of place" on a computer that was used for analyzing intelligence about Iraq, said Shaver.
Manning didn't speak on Sunday except for the few occasions he leaned over to consult with his civilian defense attorney, David Coombs. Manning's lawyers have neither acknowledged nor denied that the intelligence analyst was behind the leaks.
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