Hollywood on the Potomac, who has interviewed Alex Gibney on several occasions, requested and received his reaction to the Bradley Manning verdict.
Statement from Academy award winning director Alex Gibney and the director of the acclaimed documentary We Steal Secrets: The Story of Wikileaks:
Alex Gibney and Josh Gerstein at the Washington, D.C. premiere ealier this year
“It is a tremendous relief that Judge Lind found Bradley Manning NOT GUILTY of “Aiding the Enemy,” an outrageous and terrifying charge by the Department of Defense. However, it is of great concern that Manning was found guilty of a number of counts of violating the Espionage Act. Manning is not a spy. He leaked information to the public-at-large hoping to make the world a better place. He pleaded guilty to 10 criminal counts relating to his leaks and breaking his oath to the military. I hope that Judge Lind will be lenient in her sentence, taking into consideration Manning’s intent, his willingness to take responsibility for his actions, and the outrageously abusive treatment he has received at the hands of the Obama Administration.” For the full Q and A with Gibney click on the link – We Steal Secrets.