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WikiLeaks fulfills pledge to support accused whistle-blower Bradley Manning

2011-01-13 8 comments


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

WikiLeaks fulfills pledge to support accused whistle-blower Bradley Manning

Providence, RI, January 13, 2011 — On Monday, WikiLeaks fulfilled its pledge to contribute toward the legal defense of accused whistleblower Bradley Manning by transferring $15,100 to the legal trust account of Manning’s attorney. WikiLeaks publicly solicited donations specifically for the expenses of Manning’s legal defense following his arrest in May 2010.

In light of WikiLeaks’ current fiscal challenges — due in large part to the shameful actions of Visa, MasterCard and PayPal in cutting off services to WikiLeaks at the behest of the US government — the Bradley Manning Support Network commends WikiLeaks for their contribution at this time. “This donation from WikiLeaks is vital to our efforts to ensure Bradley receives a fair, open trial,” says founder and steering committee member Mike Gogulski.

The Support Network does not name donors as a matter of course. However, WikiLeaks’ pledge and anticipated contribution have been a matter of public record and ongoing interest.

This contribution by WikiLeaks brings the total funds raised and transferred to Bradley’s civilian legal defense team, led by attorney David Coombs, to over $100,000. The minimum amount necessary to mount a vigorous defense for Bradley Manning is estimated to be $115,000.

Having funded nearly the entire legal bill months prior to court-martial, the Support Network is now turning its efforts to broadening a public education campaign regarding the charges against Bradley as well as the inhumane conditions that he currently endures in confinement at the brig in Quantico, Virginia. The issues at hand include government transparency, online freedom of expression, the content of the leaked materials in question and the urgency of bringing an end to America’s wars of occupation.

The components of this campaign will include the public “Stand with Brad” declaration at www.standwithbrad.org, nationwide events to coincide with Bradley’s pre-trial Article 32 hearing, expected in March, and another round of events in conjunction with the court-martial itself, anticipated for this summer.

“We have seen an enormous outpouring of support internationally, in donations as well as volunteers,” stated Jeff Paterson, steering committee member for the Bradley Manning Support Network. “Internationally, people are speaking out against the unjust imprisonment of Bradley Manning, who is for all intents accused of acting out of moral conviction. Our network applauds WikiLeaks for making this donation and urges others to protest any attempt by the government to use Manning as a scapegoat or to hold a secret trial.”

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8 comments »

  • Weblog News Wikileaks : Julian Assange-Terrorist or Christ?

    [...] Bradley Manning Support Network » Archive » WikiLeaks fulfills … [...]

    2011-01-13 16:52
  • brian altman

    Bradley, You have my thanks and my admiration for taking your Courageous actions [whichever ones you plan to admit to].I do accept it entirely possible they have the wrong man.I think it Tragic that the Majority in this country have no power to control its’ insane policies of greed and destruction.A country that budgets $725 billion for its’ military, yet claims not to have resources to feed the milions of unemployed is lower than Pathetic.

    2011-01-16 12:32
  • Steve B

    He can be easily defended if the summation Justice Robert Jackson made at the end of the Nuremberg Trials is employed by Manning’s defense team. Our soldiers, and many others from democratic nations, are pledged to abide by Jackson’s principled warnings which ended up with several Nazi leaders being hanged as war criminals.

    2011-01-17 11:14
  • Rob Murphy

    Keep in there Bradley, hundreds of thousands are highlighting your plight, keep up the fight, stay strong from your supporters in England!

    2011-01-18 05:10
  • wikileaks support team

    hej der heg fårstår inte at men vil støtte en kriminel pason som delter i iraqk med at hjelpe at myrde civile så vil men hjele ham ud af fengsel de oki han hjelp wikileaks men wikilaks nework tar full avstan fra at han skal ut de nice han er buret inde de nesten 650 år
    som kommer til at koste ham for at vær dom
    det er ikke vor problem og vi skal ikke support til militæret
    de godt de kan fængsle ders ejen lort end at de går på open gade
    wikileaks vil inte sette i vos med den pason
    vil i have mer info ta gå til mr julians support tjæneste der vil vi forklatr til jer

    http://wikileaks-support-julian-assange.co.cc/

    på vejne af wikileaks team

    2011-01-18 09:08
  • ty wenzel

    Stay strong, Bradley. We’re all watching and we won’t forget how you are treated by our own military. And where can we donate to Bradley’s legal trust? I’m in!

    2011-01-27 09:53
  • Eric J P

    Keeping up the good fight is not always the easy thing to do. Times are hard is an understatement. Knowing your direction makes little to no difference in the matter at hand. The best we can do is to take the great joy in knowin we have choosen to follow the just course. When all is said and done,we will all be more aware,more eyed open, & fully conscience of our surroundings. In respect to these more then tough choices,Maning knew it best that he could no longer sit still and allow others to commit injustices. He did something I can only dream I would have the courage to do if ever in such a perdicument. An example can be shown that while so many Nazi`s were condemned for their lack of willingness to stand for what was right&just in the murder of millions. Maning only followed the right&higher moral ground and stood up for those without a voice,those that were unjustly effected by actual crimes against their God given rights. I conclude this saying,Maning can be, & should be looked at as a national

    hero.

    2011-01-31 02:13
  • mitch vanbourg

    Bradley,

    Know that there are many in the US who equate your plight to those of political prisoners of conscience held in China and elsewhere, who are so often the subject of our Sec’y of State Clinton’s and other’s self-righteous and nobler pleas for “human rights”. Hold tight and be confident that you must and will prevail.

    Mitch Vanbourg, a supporter

    2011-01-31 11:41

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