Defense lawyers for the alleged Army whistleblower Bradley Manning are accusing the U.S. government of withholding key evidence that could help Manning’s defense at a pre-trial hearing later this month. Manning’s attorneys say U.S. officials are refusing to hand over internal government documents that assessed the impact of the release of thousands of diplomatic cables that Manning allegedly passed on to WikiLeaks. Published reports suggest the U.S. government’s own analysts concluded that the leaking of the cables posed little threat to national security.

Manning’s hearing is set for December 16th. He’ll be flown from the military prison in Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, to Fort Meade, Maryland, to make his first court appearance since his arrest in May 2010. Manning spent the first part of his imprisonment in harsh conditions including solitary confinement, leading to allegations of cruelty and torture.

Ahead of Manning’s first court date, the indie musician Cass McCombs stopped by the Democracy Now! studio to debut a new song he wrote for Manning. The song is called “Bradley Manning.”

Links:

• Bradley Manning Support Network

• Free download of Cass McCombs’ song 'Bradley Manning'

• Cass McCombs’ website