UPDATE on attacks on Assange in England, Manning in U.S. Solidarity at Leavenworth

In England,the left liberal (this maybe not the ideology of those who run this rag, but they definitely know their niche market!) Guardian/ Observer continue to run an "ASSANGE IS BAD, MANNING IS IN MAD"

In the U.S., Manning is being pitched pre-trial as "an angry gay man seeking retribution on society".

Last weekend Iraq veterans and others made their way to Leavenworth, Kansas, USA...where Bradley has been transfered after failure to break him over the past 12 months under torture at Quantico (Virginia). Leavenworth is a town of 20,000 in Kansas contains 5 prisons (2 military, 3 civilian). It is located about an hour drive from Kansas City, Missouri. I spoke by phone last night to an organiser who attended the Leavenworth demonstration.

Presently the best hunch of solidarity organisers in the U.S. is that
Pre-Trial will be in 6-8 weeks from now
Trial likely in Dec-Jan
Trial should last 2 1/2 months
Pre-trial & trial will be held near D.C.

David House (tv interview below)
http://fdlaction.firedoglake.com/2010/12/23/video-david-house-on-msnbc-a...

My understanding of Grand Jury is that you are granted immunity under questioning and have your "right to remain silent" taken from you. If you refuse to answer any question you can be held for 2 years by the Feds for "contempt of the Grand Jury". This was used against the Puerto Rican independence movement activists extensively in the '80's. I was in Oklahoma Prison with a young Italian American who had refused to answer questions about his uncle accused of Mafia activity. I was told that after the two years they can call together a new Grand Jury and put you throught the process again. Last year accross the U.S., there were a series of raids of anti-war activists some who had visited Palestine with ISM last year - the same tactic is being deployed against them.

The footage below contains interviews with veterans responding to the present U.S. mainstream media character assasinations on Bradley Manning.

Vid- Leavenworth Demo for Manning (8 mins)
(footage, interviews with veterans and others)
http://www.queerty.com/what-is-the-media-not-telling-us...0610/