WikiLeaks Delivers Contribution to Bradley Manning Defence Fund

[Hissyspit]

Source: Guardian UK

WikiLeaks delivers contribution to Bradley Manning defence fund

Website honours pledge made last July to help pay legal fees of soldier accused of leaking US embassy cables

Ed Pilkington in New York
guardian.co.uk, Thursday 13 January 2011 15.23 GMT

WikiLeaks, the website that has published thousands of confidential US embassy cables, has donated $15,100 (£9,500) to the legal defence fund of Bradley Manning, the soldier accused of handing providing it with the digital trove.

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In the past the Bradley Manning Support Network has indicated that WikiLeaks had promised to pay up to $50,000 in legal fees, although that offer was reduced to $20,000 in December and the payment ended up being $15,000.

Part of the problem may be explained by WikiLeaks' own financial difficulties as a result of Visa, MasterCard and PayPal cutting off its accounts after pressure from the US government.

The support network calculates that the legal fund needs to have at least $115,000 to fight a vigorous defence. Including the WikiLeaks donation, it has collected more than $100,000.

Read more: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/jan/13/wikileaks-bradley-manning-defence-fund?CMP=twt_fd