Army invites press to Manning prison

Looking to quash complaints about the treatment of Pfc. Bradley Manning, Army officials are inviting reporters to Fort Leavenworth, Kan., to visit the military prison where the man accused of sharing classified documents with WikiLeaks is being held.

Manning was moved to Kansas last week after from a Marine facility in Virginia.


Military officials are eager to show that Manning is being treated well at the medium-security prison as he continues to be held for pretrial evaluation, Army spokesman Col. Tom Collins told The Associated Press. “Clearly, Pfc. Manning is an unusual circumstance,” he said. The AP didn’t offer details on when the tour might happen.

Manning is awaiting the Army’s decision on whether he’s mentally competent to stand trial on nearly two dozen charges, including aiding the enemy, which can come with a life sentence or even death penalty.

Opponents say putting him in solitary confinement for 23 hours a day and requiring him to sleep in a suicide-proof smock and strip nude to be inspected by prison guards is inhumane treatment. But the Obama administration contends that Manning has been treated fairly.

“I have actually asked the Pentagon whether or not the procedures that have been taken in terms of his confinement are appropriate and are meeting our basic standards. They assure me that they are,” President Barack Obama said in March. “I can’t go into details about some of their concerns, but some of this has to do with Private Manning’s safety as well.”

Kevin Zeese, an organizer of the Bradley Manning Support Network, responded to the Army’s plan for a press tour by telling the AP that while it’s “an effort to relieve the pressure,” his group “will not let up until Manning is treated properly.”