Uncle Sam and his cronies accuses Manning of having endangered national security by releasing the war logs, which included reports of torture and civilian casualties, and the embassy cables, which detailed candid and often embarrassing remarks by world leaders and US officials.

The soldier’s supporters argue his actions shone a light in the darkest corners of the US-led wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as exposing the reasoning behind American foreign policy decisions. Manning admitted in February to leaking the documents, saying he hoped to start a public debate, but denied knowingly aiding Al Qaeda or other US foes