Bradley Manning: photo, biography

Bradley Manning, whose biography is described in this article, served in the US Army. In 2010, he was arrested because of a video from 2007, which shows how the military fired journalists in Baghdad (Iraq). Bradley was accused not only of transferring this material to the WikiLeaks site, but also of involvement in many other leaks of classified information regarding military operations in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Where and when was Manning born?

Bradley Manning, whose photo you can see in this article, was born on the seventeenth of December 1987 in the small town of Chrisente, in Oklahoma. My father's name was Brian. He was a military man all his life and married a girl named Susan, who was born in Haverforduest, and subsequently emigrated from Wales to the United States. Bradley's parents divorced when he turned thirteen. Mother took her son to her homeland, to Wales, in 2001. There he studied at the school in Haverforduest. After graduation, Bradley returned to his father in the United States again.

Sexual orientation of Bradley Manning

Bradley was a homosexual since childhood. But being small did not yet understand this. He was embarrassed and concealed that he felt more like a woman than a man. Those around him who knew him noted that Bradley was always very closed and irritable, his passion became computers. And when he grew up, he did not hide his homosexual orientation from anyone. But is Bradley Manning a woman? So he, at least, believed and called himself Chelsea.

Army years

Manning dreamed of becoming a secret agent from childhood. Therefore, after graduation, in 2007, he went to the US Army. First he served in intelligence, then as a military analyst under a contract signed for 4 years. He completed physical training in Arizona and in 2010 was promoted to the title of specialist by the leadership. He continued his service in a new capacity in Iraq, based on the "Hammer".

But in the same year, Bradley Manning was dropped to rank 1 class. Because of a fight with a colleague. About his political views Bradley declare openly shy, because he was against the negative attitude of society to homosexuality. He did not like the war in Iraq and the actions of the Prime Minister of this state, Nuri al-Maliki. In addition, Manning believed that he was ignored in the service.

Scandal due to video recording

In April 2010, a big scandal erupted in the US because of the video posted on the WikiLeaks website, which has a "secret" stamp. It showed how the group of journalists, whom American soldiers took for terrorists, was being fired on in the outskirts of Baghdad.

Eighteen civilians died that day. On May 21, Bradley spoke with Adrian Lamo (a former hacker). Manning said that he gave the WikiLeaks site a scandalous video, as well as 260,000 more classified materials. Communication took place in the chat, and subsequently their conversation was posted on the Internet.

Arrest of Bradley

Lamo reported the authorities, and on May 29, Bradley Manning was arrested. They placed him first in the American prison "Kemp-Arifzhan" in Kuwait. In July, Manning was transferred to another, which was in Virginia, on the territory of the military base.

As the investigation showed, Bradley installed a special program on his computer, through which he cracked the secret networks of the Ministry of Defense and the US Department of State. Manning downloaded private files for sharing. Most of the secret information and diplomatic negotiations and was transferred to the site WikiLeaks.

Bradley Manning charged

In July 2010, Bradley prosecuted the charges of keeping classified government information on a personal computer and transferring it to unauthorized persons. In a conversation with Lama, Manning clearly stated that computer data protection was very weak.

WikiLeaks did not confirm that Bradley is the informer of the site. The company claimed that data collection takes place in such a way that even the editor does not know the names of those who provide them. And the sources, where the classified information appeared, the embezzlement of which Bradley was accused, were on the site before Manning appeared in the US Army.

The WikiLeaks site offered legal support to a young hacker and hired three lawyers. To contact Manning Bradley could only with them, and with the leadership of the site directly communicated to the authorities he was banned.

In July 2010, the WikiLeaks portal published seventy-seven secret reports. Manning began to suspect and in this huge leak of information. The military decided whether there was sufficient evidence of his guilt to send Bradley's case to the tribunal. The decision of the special commission was to be taken in August 2010.

Sentence

The maximum period to which Manning could be sentenced could be ninety years old or be replaced by the death penalty. The first court hearing in the Bradley case took place on February 24, 2012. Manning refused to answer questions about admitting his guilt. The trial lasted until March 15, 2013. The prosecution demanded that Manning be sentenced to 60 years imprisonment for transferring secret data to third parties. But the support of lawyers and many public organizations insisted on easing the deadline, appealing that even with published private data, the accused did not inflict serious damage to either US citizens or the country as a whole.

As a result, Bradley Manning, whose verdict was read out by an American court, was thirty-five years old. The convicted person can receive the right to early release only nine years after the start of the sentence. Manning was demoted to rank and dismissed from the US Army. He wrote to the president of America, Barack Obama, a petition for pardon. Now it is known that Bradley Manning will be able to leave prison before his sixtieth birthday if his application for early release is granted.

Detention and reaction of society

The case of Bradley Manning caused different reactions in society. Especially since information was frequently leaked to the press that his detention was far from civilized. Those who saw Bradley after his arrest, argue that his mental health is violated. He suffers constant humiliation, and he is under pressure.

Manning told his lawyer about his conditions of detention. According to Bradley, he is held daily in solitary confinement allegedly to prevent a suicide attempt. The guard carries out inspections without any reason several times a day. During planned inspections, Bradley Manning is without clothes. Barack Obama in response to this objected that the conditions of Bradley's maintenance are in accordance with the rules and standards adopted in the United States.

In defense of Bradley, quite a number of different human rights organizations have acted, as well as Michael Moore (cinematographer) and Daniel Ellsberg, who is called the "Pentagon debunker." Even a separate network has been created to support Manning. And near the prison, where he was kept, there were constant meetings of protest in his honor. Already more than twelve thousand people contributed their donations to the fund created for Bradley. And this amount already amounted to 650 thousand dollars. Of these, 15,000 came from the WikiLeaks website.

Bradley wants to change the floor

After the verdict, Bradley Manning announced his desire to change the male gender to female. And voiced the name that he chose for himself - Chelsea Elizabeth. He said that from childhood he felt he was not a man, but a woman, but thought it was not normal. Therefore, he went to the army to prove his belonging to the strong sex. But he realized that he still feels like a woman, and nature played a cruel joke with him, placing him in the body of a man.

Lawyers prove that Manning suffers from gender identity and is not homosexual. About his desire to change the sex Bradley said on the American television show, which he was a participant. He asked to begin the course of hormone therapy immediately. When the New York Times and the Associated News learned that Bradley Manning wants to become a woman, they decided to henceforth call him Chelsea Elizabeth - the name that he chose for himself.

He asked his supporters to no longer consider him a man. And turn to him from now on as a woman. As well as writing letters, already in a new name. In his written address to his supporters Bradley signed already as Chelsea Manning.

Will the floor of Manning be allowed while he is in prison?

On February 13, 2015, the court did not object to Bradley Manning changing the floor and undergoing the necessary hormonal therapy. But the military reminded him that this procedure is not done in prisons, let alone conduct such operations. Manning is ready even to pay for expensive hormone therapy alone. In addition, Bradley and does not ask to transfer him to another prison, he is ready to serve his term in the ordinary male.

But all the same rules are one for all. Prisoners are treated in the same way, regardless of their sexual orientation, race, rank, etc. All are equal. And for a surgical operation a person should be in the hospital, as well as with hormone therapy be under the constant supervision of doctors. What will happen to Manning further, time will tell.