US protests continue ahead of Bradley Manning trial

Iran Press TV

Sun Jun 2, 2013 2:18PM GMT

Thousands of supporters of US Army whistleblower Private Bradley Manning have continued to protest a day before his trial in the State of Maryland.

On Saturday, more than 3,000 protesters gathered outside the Fort Meade military camp where Manning's court-martial trial is expected to start on Monday.

The members of the Bradley Manning Support Network and other supporters were among the demonstrators

Many of the protesters held banners reading, "We are all Bradley Manning" and "Bradley Manning: Jailed for exposing war crimes."

Similar demonstrations are also taking place in more than one dozen other cities across the world.

The 25-year-old former US Army intelligence analyst was arrested in May 2010 in Iraq for allegedly giving more than 700,000 military field reports from Iraq and Afghanistan and US diplomatic cables to whistleblower website WikiLeaks.

The material included videos showing the killing of Iraqi and Afghan civilians by US forces.

Manning faces 22 charges, including "aiding the enemy." He could face life in prison, if found guilty on all counts.

Human rights activist Craig Murray has criticized Manning's imprisonment by asking why the American soldiers, who were 'deliberately' killing innocent people overseas, are not the ones currently on trial.

The case of the former Army intelligence analyst is the most high-profile in a series of prosecutions against whistleblowers under the administration of US President Barack Obama.

SZH/PR/SS