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NY Times March 11, 2011
Obama Defends Detention Conditions for Soldier Accused in WikiLeaks Case
By SCOTT SHANE
WASHINGTON — President Obama has defended conditions in a Marine Corps
jail for Pfc. Bradley E. Manning, who is accused of leaking classified
government documents to WikiLeaks. The president said Friday that he had
been assured that such measures as forcing Private Manning to sleep
without clothing were justified and for his own safety.
“With respect to Private Manning, I have actually asked the Pentagon
whether or not the procedures that have been taken in terms of his
confinement are appropriate and are meeting our basic standards,” Mr.
Obama said at a news conference. “They assure me that they are.”
“I can’t go into details about some of their concerns,” he added, “but
some of this has to do with Private Manning’s safety as well.” He
appeared to be referring to fears that Private Manning might harm
himself, though the private, his friends and his lawyer have all denied
that he is suicidal.
The question to Mr. Obama was prompted by critical comments from Philip
J. Crowley, the top State Department spokesman, about Private Manning’s
treatment. In a talk at M.I.T., Mr. Crowley called the treatment
“ridiculous, counterproductive and stupid,” and he said he did not
understand Defense Department officials’ reasons for imposing it,
according to people present. Mr. Crowley later said he was expressing
his personal views.
Starting on March 2, Private Manning was forced by guards at the Marine
Corps brig at Quantico, Va., to sleep without clothing at night, though
he has a blanket and in recent days has been given a “tear-proof smock”
to wear at night, according to a Defense Department spokesman, Col.
David Lapan.
“Pfc. Manning is being treated fairly, with dignity and respect,”
Colonel Lapan said. “All measures in place are to ensure his safety and
security.”
A document made public on Thursday by Private Manning’s lawyer, David E.
Coombs, said the nighttime stripping began as a result of a sarcastic
quip from the imprisoned soldier about concerns that he might kill himself.
On March 2, a brig officer had told him his treatment would not change
because “the brig simply considered me a risk of self-harm,” Private
Manning wrote in the document, which was filed as part of a formal
complaint to military officials. “Out of frustration, I responded that
the POI restrictions were absurd and sarcastically told him if I really
wanted to harm myself, I could conceivably do so with the elastic
waistband of my underwear or with my flip-flops.” The initials refer to
“prevention of injury,” a status that restricts items in Private
Manning’s cell and requires guards to check him constantly.
Private Manning’s lawyer and supporters have complained for months about
his conditions, which they describe as effectively solitary confinement,
since he is kept in his cell 23 hours a day and has almost no contact
with other detainees.
Brig officials have said he is not in solitary confinement but is being
treated as required for prisoners classified as “maximum custody” and
placed on prevention-of-injury watch. Private Manning’s lawyer has
challenged both designations as unjustified.
According to Private Manning’s written account, a brig psychiatrist
recommended continuing the prevention-of-injury status for Private
Manning in December, but in January decided it should be ended, a
recommendation ignored by brig commanders. After the March 2 incident,
the psychiatrist assessed Private Manning as “low risk,” the document says.
Private Manning was arrested last May and accused of downloading several
hundred thousand diplomatic cables and classified reports on the wars in
Iraq and Afghanistan and providing them to WikiLeaks, the anti-secrecy
group. If he is convicted of the charges at a court-martial, he could
face life in prison.
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