World Anti-militarism Newswire Archive

Bereavement may not feature in political action but what about the losses that are caused by repression?
Don't the bereaved matter politically?

Bradley Manning was back at Fort Meade, Maryland, US for another pretrial hearing this week and military Judge Denise Lind issued her ruling on the unlawful pretrial punishment motion. This part of the case was dealt with at a long hearing in November and December, during which Bradley Manning gave evidence in person. He spoke about the punitive conditions he was held under at Quantico marine brig in Virginia from July 2010 until April 2011. Many other witnesses testified, including numerous brig staff. The defence motion called for all charges to be dismissed or, failing that, for 10:1 sentencing credit for the time Brad was mistreated.

For more information, see this Indymedia feature on the torture hearing

Brad's court martial continues on 16 and 17 January with another hearing, this time a continuation of the defence motion calling for charges to be dismissed on the grounds of lack of speedy trial. By the time the case reaches trial, put back again to at least 3 June, Bradley Manning will have been held for over three years.

Join the solidarity vigil in London on Wednesday 16 January at 2pm at the US Embassy.

Atrocity of the Turkey's Terror War machine in Paris.

Kurdish activists said the killings were carried out by forces in the Turkish state itself who wanted to derail the talks.

Bradley Manning is back in court at Fort Meade, Maryland, US from Tuesday 8 - Friday 11 January.

Vigil at the US Embassy in London 2pm Tuesday 8 January.

The entire soundtrack of the Collateral Murder video will be played.

On the fourth anniversary of Israel’s 2008-2009 war on Gaza in which it killed 1400 Palestinians including 300 children, a call urging EU citizens to ask their representatives to suspend the EU’s trade agreements with Israel, until it complies with international law has been issued by grassroots networks and organizations across Palestine.

solidarity graffiti in exeter

Reading about crimes of state over many years, it is tempting to try to fathom the mind-set of political leaders. What actually is going on in their heads when they order sanctions that kill hundreds of thousands of children? What is in their hearts when they wage needless wars that shatter literally millions of lives? Are they desperately cruel, mindlessly stupid? Do they imagine they are living in a kind of hell where monstrous acts have to be committed to avoid even worse outcomes? Are they indifferent, focused on what will bring them short-term political and economic gain? Are they morally resigned, perceiving themselves as essentially powerless in the face of invincible political and economic forces ('If I didn't do it, someone else would.')?

We held another drone information stall yesterday in Wrexham.

See also this indymedia report and photos from a previous stall and this recent protest at RAF Waddington from where British armed Reaper drones will be controlled.

Witness evidence in the Bradley Manning Article 13 'unlawful pretrial punishment' motion hearing is now completed after 10 days and the hearing moves on to both sides presenting their closing oral arguments, starting with the defence (Bradley Manning represented by David Coombs). See Tweets below (which will be updated later), this report from Kevin Gosztola and this from Nathan Fuller, both with live updates.

For other court reports from this hearing, see notes from the courtroom: 10 Dec | 7 Dec | 6 Dec | 5 Dec | 1-2 Dec | 30 Nov | 27-29 Nov | Bradley Manning's Testimony.

www.smashedo.org.uk

CWO2 Denise Barnes, who made the decision to remove Manning's underwear, returned to the witness stand on Monday 10 December in Bradley Manning's unlawful pretrial punishment hearing (see Tweets below and this report from Kevin Gosztola).

For other court reports from this hearing, see notes from the courtroom: 7 Dec | 6 Dec | 5 Dec | 1-2 Dec | 30 Nov | 27-29 Nov | Bradley Manning's Testimony.

CWO2 Denise Barnes, who made the decision to remove Manning's underwear at Quantico Brig, took the witness stand in Bradley Manning's unlawful pretrial punishment hearing on Friday 7 December (see Tweets below and reports from Kevin Gosztola [ 1 | 2 ]. This is the last day of the second week of the hearing, unlike the first week when the court sat on Saturday and Sunday. The hearing is scheduled to continue Monday 10 to Wednesday 12 December. Defence has not yet finished cross examining Barnes.

For other court reports from this hearing, see notes from the courtroom: 6 Dec | 5 Dec | 1-2 Dec | 30 Nov | 27-29 Nov | Bradley Manning's Testimony.

Thursday 6 December: Bradley Manning's unlawful pretrial punishment hearing continued (day 8 of this hearing) with testimony from Chief Warrant Officer (CWO4)James Averhart, the Officer in Charge at Quantico Brig from August 2010 to January 2011 (see Tweets below and reports from Nathan Fuller and Kevin Gosztola).

For other court reports from this 'unlawful pretrial punishment' hearing, see: Bradley Manning's Testimony and these articles: 5 Dec, 1-2 Dec, 30 Nov and 27-29 Nov.

5 December: Bradley Manning's unlawful pretrial punishment hearing continues with testimony from MSG Papakie (see Tweets below) and Chief Warrant Officer Abel Galaviz - see Tweets below and reports from Nathan Fuller and Kevin Gosztola [ 1 | 2 ].

For other court reports from this 'unlawful pretrial punishment' hearing, see: Bradley Manning's Testimony and these articles: 1-2 Dec, 30 Nov and 27-29 Nov.

Alexa O'Brien has been tweeting a summary of the notes she took while Bradley Manning was giving evidence in court at Fort Meade last Thursday and Friday.

For other court reports see: 1-2 Dec, 30 Nov and 27-29 Nov.

Court martial proceedings continued Saturday and Sunday 1 & 2 December at Fort Meade, Maryland where Judge Denise Lind is hearing evidence in a defence motion that Bradley Manning was subjected to unlawful pretrial punishment. The pretrial 'motion' hearing picks up again Wednesday 5 December until Friday 7 Dec.

Another set of reports and tweets from this week's hearing in which the defence is calling for all charges against Bradley Manning to be dropped on account of the mistreatment he suffered at Quantico Brig until his eventual transfer to Fort Leavenworth in April 2011. These links and quotes are mainly from 30 November, when Brad faced cross examination on his testimony. See also this previous post with links to earlier reports from the hearing.

According to reports from Jaffna, the Jaffna University students wearing black bands were staging the protest rally opposite the university main entrance around 11 am when hundreds of police and military personnel attacked them with poles, wires and cables, seriously wounding at least seven of them.

On the evening of the November 27 at 06:07 PM (local time), flames were lit in commemoration of Maaveerar Naal 2012 (Martyrs’ Day 2012). It was initiated by the Tamil students from the Jaffna University.Pre-deployed Sri Lankan troops forcibly entered into the Ladies’ Hostel and attacked the students and damaged properties, soon after they realized that the flames were lit inside the Ladies’ Hostel of the Jaffna University. The victims called the University administration to escape from the attack and seek safety. However, following the attack tensions prevailed.

Bradley Manning is back in court this week at Fort Meade in Maryland, where he faces 22 charges in connection with the biggest anti-war whistleblowing act in history. This week's pretrial hearing is dealing specifically with the mistreatment Bradley suffered during his detention at Quantico brig in the US and evidence has been heard about his treatment from his arrest in May 2010, his detention in Kuwait and then in Quantico until his move to less punitive conditions at Fort Leavenworth in April 2011. Brad took the witness stand yesterday and will testify again today.