Pfc. Manning to be transferred to Army prison--medium security facility [View All]

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WASHINGTON — Under increasing public pressure and facing accusations of prisoner abuse, the Pentagon will transfer Army Pfc. Bradley Manning, suspected of leaking secret U.S. government documents to the WikiLeaks website, from the Marine Corps brig at Quantico, Va., to the Army prison at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, as early as Wednesday. It’s not only a change in venue, but a dramatic shift in the conditions of his confinement.

Manning was held in maximum security at Quantico, where he spent 23 hours a day and ate all his meals in an isolated cell, was permitted no contact with other prisoners and was forced to wear chains and leg irons any time he was moved. He also was often forced to strip naked at night and stand nude in his cell for early morning inspection.

The Marines claim they took his clothes to prevent him from injuring himself. Military and Pentagon officials insist the action was punishment for what the Marines considered disrespect from Manning. Such tactics for disciplinary reasons are against military regulations.

Once at Leavenworth, he’ll be placed in a new medium-security facility. Although locked in a cell at night, he’ll have some freedom of movement in an open day room, have contact and take meals with fellow prisoners, shower when he wants and have access to books and TV.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/42668883/ns/us_news-wikileaks_in_security/