U.S. Army soldier Bradley Manning leaked 750,000 documents to Wikileaks. Arrested in 2010, Manning is finally beginning pre-trial hearings this week. He’s become a martyr to those who consider his conditions in jail to be abusive, and a hero to the hacker collective known as Anonymous.
.@YourAnonNews Bradley Manning is a #patriot for revealing the misdealings and illicit activities of the government in a time of war.
— Relapsing Blues Fan (@zach_doubleyou) November 28, 2012
@YourAnonNews Bradley Manning is a #patriot for what he did. He did what he did for the good of this country. The U.S are #terrorist
— Cody (@CJ_Jinkens) November 28, 2012
@YourAnonNews Bradley Manning is a #patriot and a damn good one too
— capernoited (@capernoitedguy) November 28, 2012
https://twitter.com/dijjidog/statuses/273852109827485696
“Patriot” Manning has a long history of mental issues, and was nearly kicked out of the Army during boot camp. While deployed in Iraq, his behavior was so bizarre that the bolt was taken out of his rifle, in fear that he posed a threat to his fellow soldiers. Via BBC News:
Under cross-examination of military investigators, details emerged of incidents during Pte Manning’s deployment as an intelligence analyst in Iraq between November 2009 and his arrest in May 2010.
His defence lawyer, David Coombs, highlighted emails his client had sent to a superior officer explaining that confusion about his gender identity was impacting on his ability to do his job.
Investigators admitted they had found evidence that Pte Manning had created an online alter ego called “Breanna Manning”.
The soldier had also reportedly assaulted a superior, turned over a table, damaged a computer and on another occasion was found “curled up in a ball”.
Manning’s document dump put the lives of numerous U.S. intelligence assets in Iraq and Afghanistan at risk, but that doesn’t seem to matter much to his supporters.
https://twitter.com/jkanarcho/status/273582506207494144
https://twitter.com/DBCOOPA/statuses/273828008656252928
FREE BRADLEY MANNING AND FUCK YOU IF YOU DON'T LIKE IT
— Jon Fraud Van Scam (@HiiiPowerSoS) November 28, 2012
The truest of Patriots for telling the truth. RT @YourAnonNews Poll: Is Bradley Manning a.Reply w/ #patriot or #traitor http://t.co/ryEWBFbi
— Marisa ? (@MarisaWriting) November 28, 2012
https://twitter.com/ggreenwald/statuses/273432267592982528
FREE BRADLEY MANNING
— 1LP (@_07V7_) November 28, 2012
Not everyone is convinced the emotionally-troubled young man deserves to be hailed as a hero.
https://twitter.com/HaiImLoki/statuses/273849308737056768
With the purchase of any BRADLEY MANNING of equal or greater value! RT @SouredSapience: FREE BRADLEY MANNING”
— The Real Matt Finn (@mdrache) November 28, 2012
https://twitter.com/WiseUpLibs/statuses/273857339491246080
bradley manning is a hero, if by "hero" you mean "should be hanged for treason".
— tech fleece tormund (@the_blueprint) November 28, 2012
While he could have faced the death penalty, prosecutors have passed on that option, perhaps taking his fragile mental condition into account. It is unknown just how long Manning’s trial will last, but to his zealous supporters, every second he’s spent in prison is a second too long, no matter how many lives he put at risk.
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