US Judge Refuses to Dismiss Charge of Helping Enemy in Wikileaks Case

Posted April 26th, 2012 at 6:20 pm (UTC-5)
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A U.S. military judge has refused to dismiss the most serious charge against a soldier accused of leaking secrets to Wikileaks: aiding al-Qaida.

Colonel Denise Lind made her ruling Thursday in Fort Meade, Maryland. But she said the court would hear more defense motions if during the trial, prosecutors fail to prove Private Bradley Manning wanted to help the enemy.

Prosecutors argued during pre-trial hearings this week that Manning knew al-Qaida would see the secret documents when he allegedly gave them to Wikileaks.

Manning's lawyers said that there was no intent to help al-Qaida.

Manning has still not entered a plea, and Colonel Lind Wednesday refused to dismiss all 22 charges against him.

Manning is an Army intelligence analyst. He allegedly leaked hundreds of thousands of secret military and State Department documents relating to the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq to the Wikileaks website in 2010.

U.S. officials contend his actions threaten U.S. national security and put lives at risk. Manning has said he wanted people to see what he called the truth about U.S. military operations.

Manning's court-martial begins September 21. If convicted, he could be sentenced to life in prison.