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Three Nobel Laureates Back Pfc. Manning As Wikileaks Case Unfolds

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PFC Bradley Manning in the most recent Department of Army photo.
United States Army
PFC Bradley Manning in the most recent Department of Army photo.

Three Nobel Peace Prize winners are weighing in on the Wikileaks case unfolding at Ft. Meade in Maryland. They are supporting U.S. Army private Bradley Manning, who is being facing court-martial for allegedly sending classified information to the website.

The three Nobel laureates — Desmond Tutu, Mairead Corrigan Maguire and Adolfo Perez Esquivel — signed a letter in The Nation magazine, calling Pfc. Manning a courageous whistle-blower. 

The authors say Manning's alleged actions gave the world unparallelled access to important facts. They argue that he changed the world for the better, and they urge Americans to support Manning.

The letter comes a week after Manning's lawyers revealed an offer to plead guilty to reduced charges. Under the terms of the offer, Manning would acknowledge sending Wikileaks hundreds of thousands of classified documents, but he would not plead guilty to violating federal espionage and computer laws, or to aiding the enemy, which carries a maximum life sentence.

Manning has been detained since he was arrested in Iraq in May 2010.

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