After spending more than three years in prison, Army Pfc. Bradley Manning’s trial will begin on Monday on charges relating to the release of over 700,000 classified intelligence documents to the WikiLeaks website.
Manning faces over 20 different charges including aiding the enemy, which could carry a life sentence if he is convicted. Prosecutors decided not to seek the death penalty even though it was available.
Some additional charges include wrongfully causing intelligence to be published knowing that it is accessible to the enemy, transmitting defense information, fraud and related activity in connection with computers, and theft of public property or records.
Most of the documents Manning leaked where either military reports from Iraq and Afghanistan or State Department cables.
Manning has said he was motivated to leak the documents in order to expose the American Military’s “blood lust”and disregard for human life in Iraq and Afghanistan. He also believed that the leaked information would not harm the United States but would instead begin a discussion on the issue of transparency.
Since he was arrested three years ago, Manning has become a cause celbre for transparency advocates around the world who consider him to be a whistle blower, and not a traitor.
Manning has already pleaded guilty to 10 lesser charges in order to take a twenty-year prison sentence, but prosecutors decided to pursue a harsher punishment.
The trial will take place in Fort Meade, Maryland and will be closed off to both the public and the media due to the classified nature of the evidence.