He was, however, cleared of the most serious charge “aiding the enemy,” chiefly Al-Qaeda. More than 100,000 people have signed a petition calling for Manning’s nomination for a Nobel Peace Prize.
Underlining the seriousness of the case, the US government painted him as a reckless traitor whose actions put his country at danger.
Expert witnesses testified during the sentencing phase of Manning’s trial that the soldier was confused about his gender and sexuality and under enormous psychological stress at the time he committed the leaks.
Manning also apologized. “I’m sorry that my actions have hurt people and have hurt the United States,” he told Lind during a hearing last week.
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