Security within the intelligence division of the U.S. military
exhibits so much laxity that soldiers are able to play video games or
watch motion pictures on intelligence computers, according to a hearing
into the so-called Wikileaks scandal.
Speaking during a hearing regarding Private Bradley Manning -- the
soldier who leaked thousands of classified documents to blogger Julian
Assange and his Wikileaks web site -- an Army officer in Manning's
intelligence unit claimed it was common knowledge that intelligence
analysts would bring in movie DVDs they'd purchase from Iraqi vendors
and watch them on secured computers.
It was also common knowledge that intelligence unit stored rock music
and played video games on computers that were supposed to be used for
storing classified information.
This testimony by Captain Casey Fulton is the latest revelation of
the lack of military protocol within the unit to which the 24-year old
Manning was assigned as a low-level intelligence analyst.
In previous testimony, witnesses revealed that computer passwords
were written on Post-it notes, stuck on terminals, and that there was no
security policy and procedure for inspections to prevent classified
material from "walking out the front doors."
Testimony also disclosed that discipline in the intelligence unit
was lax, with officers and enlisted men and women often fraternizing
with one another.
Captain Fulton also claimed she was not aware it was wrong for soldiers to store music and movies on a secured hard drive.
During questioning, Fulton stated that in her opinion Pvt. Manning
should have been disciplined in December 2009 when he was involved in an
incident in which he became enraged, overturned a table and attempted
to grab a weapon from a nearby gun rack.
She also said that it was her view that Manning should also have been
disciplined in May 2010 when he physically attacked and injured a
fellow intelligence analyst. Earlier that same day, she told the hearing
panel that she personally observed Manning on the floor curled up in a
ball in a small room. Later that same day she saw Manning pinned to the
ground by a female soldier known as "Specialist Shulman."
Others testified that they saw Manning strike Shulman, and she had a red welt on her face, according to Captain Fulton.
It was for fighting that Manning was disciplined, according to
Fulton, but Manning could have had his security clearance revoked and he
should have beed denied access to the databases of confidential
information.
Manning faces a two dozen-count indictment, including charges of
aiding the enemy, in relation to the leak last year of 250,000
classified US diplomatic cables to WikiLeaks. This latest hearing was
held to see whether or not Manning will face a full court-martial over
the alleged crimes.
Special thanks to a friend and colleague in law enforcement, who previously worked in military intelligence, "Rodger."
Jim Kouri,
CPP, formerly Fifth Vice-President, is currently a Board Member of the
National Association of Chiefs of Police, an editor for
ConservativeBase.com, and he's a columnist for Examiner.com. In
addition, he's a blogger for the Cheyenne, Wyoming Fox News Radio
affiliate KGAB (www.kgab.com) and editor of Conservative Base Magazine (www.conservativebase.com). Kouri also serves as political advisor for Emmy and Golden Globe winning actor Michael Moriarty.
He's
former chief at a New York City housing project in Washington Heights
nicknamed "Crack City" by reporters covering the drug war in the 1980s.
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university and director of security for several major organizations.
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