Wikileaks 'whistleblower' was stripped and left naked in cell overnight TWICE by Marines to 'stop him hanging himself'



The U.S. soldier accused of leaking secret government files to Wikileaks was stripped and left naked in his cell overnight twice this week to 'stop him hanging himself'.



Private Bradley Manning’s confinement conditions at a Marine-run facility in Quantico, Virginia, have attracted criticism from supporters and lawyer David Coombs.

The intelligence analyst could face the death penalty after being accused of ‘aiding the enemy’ by leaking tens of thousands of confidential embassy cables to Wikileaks.

'Degrading': Bradley Manning's lawyer said the alleged Wikileaks whistleblower was stripped and left naked in his cell for seven hours overnight twice

The 23-year-old’s clothing was returned to him after he was forced to stand naked outside his cell during an inspection, Mr Coombs said.

‘This type of degrading treatment is inexcusable and without justification,’ he said. ‘It is an embarrassment to our military justice system and should not be tolerated.



‘No other detainee at the brig is forced to endure this type of isolation and humiliation.’

Mr Coombs added that the government has denied his request to have his custody status reduced from maximum to medium-security and he will now be filing a rebuttal.



Private Manning was not allowed to spend Wednesday or Thursday night with the boxer shorts he is normally allowed to wear in his cell, the Marines confirmed.



A Marines spokesman confirmed that a brig duty supervisor had ordered the soldier’s clothing to be taken from him to stop him hanging himself.



Reasons: The Pentagon said the level of his confinement is due to the charges, potential sentence, national security implications and to protect him from harm

First Lieutenant Brian Villiard said the step was ‘not punitive’ and followed brig rules.

But he added: ‘It would be inappropriate for me to explain it. I can confirm that it did happen, but I can’t explain it to you without violating the detainee’s privacy.’

Private Manning is being held under restrictions to prevent self-injury as a maximum security detainee. But his supporters say there is no evidence he is suicidal.

His friend, David House, said he visited him last weekend and that his mental condition was severely deteriorating from being confined to his cell 23 hours a day.

Private Manning is said to be given one hour a day to exercise in an empty room and is largely isolated from human contact.

Looking: Investigators have been seeking evidence that could implicate Wikileaks founder Julian Assange as a conspirator in the information leaking

A Pentagon spokesman told MSNBC that the level of his confinement was due to the charges he was facing, the potential sentence, national security implications and to protect him from harm.

PRIVATE MANNING: His alleged Wikileaks involvement

October 2007: Manning enlists in the U.S. Army

October 2009: Manning is sent to Iraq to work with the 2nd Brigade Combat Team

November 2009: Manning first contacts Wikileaks

May 2010: Manning admits he has been leaking files to a 'white-haired Aussie'

May 2010: Manning is arrested and held in a military jail at Camp Arifjan in Kuwait

Investigators have been seeking evidence to implicate Wikileaks founder Julian Assange as a conspirator in the leaking of the military and diplomatic documents and videos.

But Pentagon and military officials say investigators have made no direct link between Private Manning and Mr Assange.

A further 22 charges were filed against Private Manning on Wednesday, including the ‘aiding the enemy’ charge that has led to much speculation.

The same charge was brought against former military analyst Daniel Ellsberg, who in 1971 released the Pentagon Papers that revealed details of a top secret study about the Vietnam War.

‘The enemy’ was not defined on Private Manning’s charge sheet, which sparked rumours it was a reference to Wikileaks.

But the military said instead that it referenced hostile forces who could benefit from learning classified military procedures and tactics, reported the New York Times.



He is also accused of wrongfully obtaining classified material for the purpose of posting it online and knowing that the information would be accessed by ‘the enemy’.