Judge Rules Against Dismissing Bradley Manning's "Aiding the Enemy" Charge

Faces life in prison without parole if convicted

The judge presiding over the court martial of the WikiLeaks source Bradley Manning has declined to throw out the main charge against him - that he knowingly "aided the enemy" by leaking state secrets that were posted on the internet.

The decision by Colonel Denise Lind, who is sitting as judge and jury over the army private in a courtroom at Fort Meade, Maryland, means that Manning continues to face the possibility of life in military custody with no chance of parole. The "aiding the enemy" charge is one of the most severe offences available to military prosecutors, and has lead to the accusation that the Obama administration is attempting to put a chill on whistleblowers that could have far-reaching consequences for investigative journalism.