Posted on 06/07/2010 9:48:14 AM PDT by jazusamo
A U.S. Army intelligence analyst serving in Iraq has been arrested by federal officials for allegedly leaking classified information to the online whistleblower site Wikileaks, according to a Wired blog.
Specialist Bradley Manning, 22, of Potomac, Md., is reportedly the source of the controversial video of a 2007 American helicopter strike that claimed the lives of several bystanders. Wikileaks published that video in April.
Manning reportedly became a target of the investigation after boasting of leaking more than a quarter of a million classified documents to former hacker Adrian Lamo, who reported him to the Army. Lamo claimed, via his Twitter account on Sunday evening, that he did so out of concern for national security.
"I outed Manning as an alleged leaker out of duty. I would never out an Ordinary Decent Criminal. There's a difference," Lamo tweeted. "I'm heartsick for Manning and his family. I hope they can forgive me some day for doing what I felt had to be done."
According to chat transcripts provided to Wired, Manning claimed to have collected and leaked a wide range of classified information to Wikileaks. They included a video showing the 2009 Garani airstrike in Afghanistan that Wikileaks has said before it possesses, a classified Army document discussing Wikileaks as a security threat that the site published in March, and 260,000 classified U.S. diplomatic cables.
“Hillary Clinton, and several thousand diplomats around the world are going to have a heart attack when they wake up one morning, and find an entire repository of classified foreign policy is available, in searchable format, to the public,” Manning wrote, claiming the cables expose “almost criminal political back dealings."
Wikileaks founder Julian Assange tweeted early Monday that "If Brad Manning, 22, is the 'Collateral Murder' & Garani massacre whistleblower then, without doubt, he's a national hero." He also referred to Lamo and Wired reporter Kevin Poulson, who broke the story, as "notorious felons, informers and manipulators."
Assange also claimed the Washington Post had the "Collateral Murder" video of the helicopter attack for more than a year but did not release it to the public.
The Pentagon on Monday released the following statement: "United States Division-Center is currently conducting an investigation of Spc. Bradley Manning, 22, of Potomac, Md., who is deployed with 2nd Brigade 10th Mountain Division, in Baghdad, Iraq.
He was placed in pre-trial confinement for allegedly releasing classified information and is currently confined in Kuwait.
The Department of Defense takes the management of classified information very seriously because it affects our national security, the lives of our Soldiers, and our operations abroad. The results of the investigation will be released upon completion of the investigation."
It’s good news he was arrested. My question is this. With SO many leaks under President Bush, why were none of them arrested? Was a serious effort even made to find out who they were? Just curious.
Good question. It looks like the only reason this guy was busted is that someone ratted him out but I’d bet this is far from being the whole story.
Wow, how does a SPC have access to this much intel? Was he a datadink or something? Man, is his ass gonna be sore for a long time. Hint to Brad, whistleblowers are not welcomed when Dems own the WH. Its a fact stupid.
It was a deep and ongoing frustration with me that so many leaks occurred under Bush. They all hurt him and/or the military. I don’t remember the perp walk of a single leaker. It seems like if you make a high profile example of one, the rest might think twice. Fwiw.
Video of terrorist being shot/blown up = War Porn.
Video of bystander being shot/blown up = State Secret.
I don’t think so.
maybe the pay was right
I couldn’t agree more. If they’d bust them and hit them with max sentences it would go a long way in drastically slowing it down.
The treasonous fifth column. So young to be leaking so many documents. Almost sounds like he joined up to work from within to dig.
People have wondered how enlisted people could throw their careers away with this or that act. There are numerous examples of traitors serving in the ranks of our military and they aren't all Islamists.
I would not be surprised to see him get 20 years of hard-time. The Army is going to nail him to the wall to make an example out of him since he is not a protected minority.
You know that’s what Netanyahu would do. The more I watch him in action, the more I wonder why it’s so hard for us to find and elect his counterpart. He stands up for his country, and he lauds and fully supports the bravest of his troops. If somebody in the IDF leaked classified information...let’s just say it would suck to be him/her.
Then you look at Obama. WTH?
It’s up to the military to classify documents and enforce those classifications, not the public. This type release gives aid and comfort to the enemy and I know so.
The shadow government is unelected and serves to counteract the elected administration when they see fit. It isn't out of "dedication to truth justice and the American way". Communists have served, Islamists have served. Infitrate and do what it takes.
Made me wonder if the Abu Ghraib scandal was instigated by such a saboteur. Certainly the photos were leaked to the media when one of the participants unsuccessfully tried to blackmail the government (he tried to negotiate a plea bargain and when that failed, out when the images).
It sounds like he had some decent skills and the high-secruity networks are not designed for attacks on the inside very well. It looks like there will be some more openings for Cyber Corps.
I certainly hope you’re right and believe you are.
The leaker got ratted out by the news media only because he released diplomatic cables of Hillary Clinton.
He’d still be leaking docs if he only released Bush info...
Yes, but the shadow government would have been watching their backs if Bush had appointed a Special Prosecutor, or the equivalent, every damn time a leak spilled. All you’d have to do is catch one and make a big deal out of hitting him/her with the maximum penalty, and the shadow government is put on notice.
Hats Off to Lamo.
LLS
One factual objection: It is not clear that any “innocent bystanders” were killed in the attack. Arguably all those killed could have been associated with the terrorist who were the legitimate targets.
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