FORT MEADE, Md., Feb. 24, 2012 — Army Pfc. Bradley E. Manning was arraigned here yesterday on 22 charges that include wrongfully releasing intelligence, theft of records and aiding the enemy.
Manning elected to defer his plea and also to defer the forum selection for his court-martial — whether he will be tried by a judge or a panel. The court set a tentative date of March 15 or 16 for the next session to hear pretrial motions.
Manning was charged with aiding the enemy in violation of Article 104 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice. He also was charged with 16 specifications under Article 134 of the UCMJ: wrongfully causing intelligence to be published on the Internet knowing that it is accessible to the enemy.
He was charged with five specifications of theft of public property or records, in violation of 18 U.S. Code 641; eight specifications of transmitting defense information, in violation of 18 USC 793(e); two specifications of fraud and related activity in connection with computers in violation of 18 USC 1030(a)(1); and five specifications under UCMJ Article 92 for violating Army regulations 25–2, Information Assurance, and 380–5, Department of the Army Information Security Program.
If convicted of all charges against him, Manning would face a maximum punishment of reduction to the lowest enlisted pay grade, forfeiture of all pay and allowances, confinement for life and a dishonorable discharge.
Most of the 16 specifications against Article 134 relate to Manning giving “intelligence to the enemy, through indirect means” while at Contingency Operating Station Hammer, Iraq, between November 2009 and May 2010. He is charged with sharing illegally accessed intelligence with “a person not entitled to receive it.”
Specification 10 of Article 134 says Manning obtained and then divulged five classified records relating to a military operation in Afghanistan’s Farah province on or about May 4, 2009, with reason to believe the information could be used to the injury of the United States or to the advantage of any foreign nation.
Source:
U.S. Department of Defense
Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Public Affairs)