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The prosecution rested today at Pfc. Bradley Manning’s pre-trial hearing and one of the final witnesses to be called to the stand was hacker Adrian Lamo.
Earlier, I presented about seventy percent of his testimony. Here is the other part of the testimony that I was unable to get up before it was time for the media to leave the base.
After Lamo claimed Manning “declined” his offer for journalistic protection, Coombs directed Lamo’s attention to this section of the Manning-Lamo chat logs:
(12:12:46 PM) info@adrianlamo.com: Want to go to the press?
(12:12:51 PM) bradass87: no
(12:12:59 PM) bradass87: theres an issue with that
(12:13:01 PM) info@adrianlamo.com: open offer.
“Open offer?” It would seem Lamo was telling Manning at any time he could have journalistic protection.
Coombs asked Lamo to confirm that he had already reached out to law enforcement. He had. Also, he gave the chat logs to Wired magazine. That is correct, Lamo responded. “It was not for print by me.”
Then, asked if he thought Wired would do nothing with the chat logs, Lamo replied to Coombs, “I was concerned by the depth of the unsurpassed leakage that was evident in the admissions that I was uncertain if I would be coming back with the federal authorities.” (Coombs said so it was “an in case I don’t show up again moment.”)
Coombs suggested if the instant messages were encrypted then someone might have wanted the conversation to be kept confidential. “That might be one reason,” Lamo answered.
Part of the chat logs initially not released dealt with some sensitive subjects and they talked about information regarding bradass87, Coombs stated. He asked Lamo to confirm whether Manning was reaching out for moral or emotional support.
“I believe that they were reaching out for approbation and for a like-minded individual that would act as a similar figure in their life to Julian Assange,” replied Lamo
“That’s a long answer to a question I didn’t really ask,” Coombs replied.
Lamo then conceded that whomever was bradass87 was looking for emotional and moral support.
Coombs continued, “Looking for guidance on what they could in the situation they found themselves in?”
“I don’t believe” they were looking for “guidance so much as they were looking to brag about what they had done.” Coombs pushed back against this notion that bradass87 had been braggin. Lamo responded and added the chat logs are bifurcated in that they deal with personal issues and others deal with criminal wrongdoing.
This was when Coombs asked about his belief that he is a minister. He confirmed to Coombs that he is recognized at the Universal Life Church. He confirmed he told Manning he could treat this as a confession.
Coombs then repeatedly asked the following: “A person might come to you as a minister as matter of formal religion or act of conscience?”
One answer Lamo gave was, “Perhaps to bond, yes.” Coombs said, “Listen to my question.”
“I understand the question, however…” Can you answer? Coombs asked.
A member of the prosecution stood up and declared the witness clearly does not understand so the question should be rephrased.
Coombs broke it down: An individual can come to a minister as a matter of formal religion. Truth? Lamo answered yes. An individual can come to a minister as an act of conscience? “Yes I imagine they could,” Lamo replied.
At this point, Coombs stated the defense had no further questions. The prosecution came up to redirect or ask about answers to the defense’s questions.
The prosecution asked about “Timothy Douglas Webster” and what he had done. They asked him when an Army CID agent first visited him. Lamo contended: “I am not an expert in the various law enforcement agencies therefore I have difficulty” knowing when I met particular agents.
The prosecution broadened the question to when did Lamo first meet with law enforcement agents. He answered: “I believe that would have been May 23 or May 24 however I don’t have it marked on a calendar.”
He added after prosecution tried to get him to testify more definitively on the dates, “If there was a record of such a meeting, that would help me remember.”
Just prior to Lamo taking the stand, Special Agent Antonio Edwards, an investigator for the Computer Crimes Investigative Unit (CCIU) who works for Army CID, testified. He claimed he first was involved in the case on May 25, when CCIU received an email from Mr. Chet Uber. Uber said he was aware of an individual in contact with a US Army military intelligence analyst, who was sending information to WikiLeaks.
Uber put Edwards in contact with Lamo. They came in contact physically on June 11, 2010, in Carmichael, California. Edwards met to collect evidence pertaining to the chat logs. While there, he also collected one removable hard drive and an HP mini laptop that Lamo had. The seized property was taken to CCIU for forensics.
Edwards stated Lamo acted as a confidential informant for Army CID. His mission was to collect whatever would assist us in the investigation. He was only given “reasonable expense reimbursement.” According to Edwards, “No other money” was given.
Edwards said Lamo did provide some information but it was not substantive to the investigation.
Cpt. Paul Bouchard of the defense cross-examined Edwards and asked how long Lamo had worked as an informant. Edwards said he began to work for CCIU in the latter part of July 2010 and his time working as an informant ended “three to four months ago.”
Bouchard asked Edwards to confirm that he had said Lamo had two computers and that he had seized one hard drive and computer that already had a hard drive in it. Edwards said he did. Then, Bouchard asked about the fact that there were no search warrants for the hard drive and computer. To which Edwards replied Lamo consented to full searches specific to communications with Manning. (This raises the question of why only one of the computers were seized. Lamo says he switched computers at one point in the chats.)
Edwards testified about going to interview Danny Clark in Boston. He tried to interview him between June 18-23 of 2010. Clark invoked his right to counsel. Lamo provided chat logs that he had with Clark. They were provided around July 22.
Lamo, according to Edwards, had no “specific guidance to search for anything or conduct any activities.” If he found something useful, he was to communicate to CCIU. Lamo knew there were other individuals involved, Edwards said. Since that was the case, if he was to communicate with others, Lamo was to inform agents and they would decide if it was useful to communicate.
He was instructed to, if he communicated, “tread lightly, do not be deceptive and do not do anything that would be illegal.
Edwards first communicated with Lamo over the phone on May 25, 2010. They talked just after Uber connected Edwards to Lamo. Edwards needed to establish the individual Uber was stating was in contact with an analyst was releasing classified information.
Lamo and Edwards talked periodically over until meeting physically in June and after June they only had contact to determine “the extent of the chats” and set up a meeting point.
David Shaver, a forensic expert who has taken the stand in the hearing now multiple times, said he “imaged” Lamo’s computer and hard drive. He had a “limited search scope.” He was able to find what appeared to be several chat logs, slightly modified, on his Linux computer. Shaver believes these were the ones released to the press.
The content between the chat logs on Lamo’s computer and the chat logs on Manning’s computer were basically the same, though Shaver mentioned there were some network connectivity issues that appeared in the logs.
32 Comments
Thanks for this post, Kevin. This is the first opportunity I’ve had to read about Lamo’s testimony. The part about Lamo telling Manning that he could ‘treat this as a confession’ is especially interesting because in some religions, what is said in confession is confidential, in which there is a mutual understanding and obligation on the part of both parties that it remains confidential. I’m surprised that Coombs didn’t pursue this further and say that Lamo violated his obligation as a ‘minister’ when he broke the confidentiality and turned Manning in.
Awesome coverage, Kevin. I don’t know how you get so much information, given the restrictions that have been placed upon the media.
Slightly modified?
If the chat logs are what this case against Manning is built on, this should be sufficient to have all charges dismissed.
Other grounds for dismissal of all charges.
Also, impersonating a person of the cloth should be a chargeable offense for Lamo.
I.e. Follow the law weasel, only government agents, defense contractors, the pentagon and the president get to operate outside of it.
I am beginning to favor the Cointelpro Conspiracy Theory.
No. It could be grounds for dismissal, but it is not guranteed. If the person who made the edits is available to testify as too the edits, the prosecution could contend the edits were harmless.
It would be up to the judge. But even if the judge tosses the logs, I think the government has enough to proceed with its case. Especially since the military court verdits has already been ordered by Obama.
Boxturtle (Were i judge, I’d be inclined to simply bar the logs)
No, again. A priest cannot be forced to discuss confession, but if he agrees to do so there is no restriction in law. The church would likely defrock him, even UU.
And i don’t think Lamo is impersonating a man of the cloth, I suspect he could show that he’s a UU priest. Which doesn’t take much besides evidence of regular breathing and a small fee.
Boxturtle (I doubt this court would allow the case to be tossed)
Chat logs are nursery school-grade evidence. It’s disgraceful to see someone try to use them in a legal proceeding.
If this case proceeds based on a pile of horseshit, the US deserves to be the laughingstock of the universe.
They’re excellent evidence, on par with a recorded phone conversation. ISP logs act as a disinterested third party, confirming IP address, times, etc.
I don’t know that anybody has been executed based on a chat log, but there have been upheld convictions.
Boxturtle (In this case, I would challenge the accuracy of the logs as admitted in court)
As I mull over your comment, I find myself at a loss.
It’s truly difficult to find a perspective from which the US doesn’t look like the laughingstock of the universe.
Try Obama’s perspective. Here, take the rose colored glasses and read DailyKos’ daily worship.
Boxturtle (See? We’re loved and respected EVERYWHERE! And the entire world is behind us if we hit Iran!!)
And now the thug-worshipping bots are arresting Occupy supporters.
Link.
Adrian Lamo (and what an appropriate last name) is a douche of imcomprehensible proportions. And if Manning was in fact bradass87, he might be considered more than a bit ‘touched’ to have fallen for the obvious douchebaggery that is obviously in the form of one Adrian LAMO.
That says alot.
We aren’t already?
FoxLies ™ claims OWS is a front for the Obama reelection campaign.
Obama says he understand the “frustration” of OWS.
http://articles.latimes.com/2011/oct/06/news/la-pn-obama-occupy-wall-street-20111006
We are the laughingstock of the universe, and everyone outside our borders know it. It’s only the cretins inside our borders who are oblivious to the fact.
Here’s Lamo with Amy Goodman ‘defending his role…
It’s interesting to watch his facial expressions (none; lack of affect, really) and eye shifts downward.
Lamo is one of those strange, pathetic, damaged creatures, the product of a weak character whose inteligence has been enthralled by authoritarian propaganda.
Understand Pfc Manning’s situation here, folks. If you read back through his personal history during the months leading up to the logs (look at Kevin’s last few posts, especially concerning Ms. Showman’s testimony) you begin to get a picture of a very psychologically disturbed, gender-confused young man who was seeking acceptance and attention. He knew he was gay and knew he couldn’t say anything about it. There are multiple textbook cries for help during the 6-9 months leading up to the May contacts with Lamo.
Given what we know about Bradley’s aspirations as a hacktivist, and what we know about Lamo’s high profile hacking successes in the past, is it unreasonable to think Bradley was trying to reach out, out of loneliness and depression and heartache?
I think that’s what we’re seeing here.
I read somewhere yesterday, can’t find the link now, that the cables found on Bradley’s computers did not match up to the cables released by Wikileaks. If this is true, it’s huge.
I begin to get a picture of a scared, confused, broken young man with nobody to turn to in his time of psychological crisis. He reaches out to someone he admires in the hacktivist universe and claims responsibility for leaks that he was not in fact responsible for, just to try and grab some attention. To find an individual in the world who values him as a person and a peer.
Now, that whole theory is blown out of the water if I’m wrong about what I read yesterday WRT the cable evidence. It seems very feasible to me, however, based on the evidence as I understand it.
If I’m correct in my understanding, I expect Coombs to go after just this angle. If the government has no proof that Bradley was ever in possession of any of the items leaked to Wikileaks, they have no case here except the chat logs. Given Bradley’s state of mind and Lamo’s standing in the hacktivist community, Coombs could make an excellent argument that Bradley was just blowing smoke to get attention.
Manning is a disturbed young man with a strong sense of justice. Lamo is just plain disturbed from all I’ve read about him. What a shame the USG persecutes the former and favors & exploits the latter.
Lamo was questioned about being diagnosed with Asperger’s and also his 9 days of in-patient treatment in a psychiatric facility last year. From the timeline, it seems he was released from treatment just days before his chat logs with Manning.
Perhaps it would be a good idea to point out that Papa Bush as VP was involved in Iran/Contra, trading weapons for illegal war with terrorists. He later became President.
No, again. A priest cannot be forced to discuss confession, but if he agrees to do so there is no restriction in law. The church would likely defrock him, even UU.
No the privilege belongs to the defendant not the clergy. Anything the authorities learn from a clergy violating privilege, well that’s whats called “fruit of the poisonous tree”. In fact, it wouldn’t matter if Lamo weren’t actually an ordained minister so long as he pretended to be one and Manning reasonably believed him (but that’s not an issue because he testified yesterday he was a minister).
Prof. Miller: It would be totally inappropriate for an officer to pretend to be a religious figure. When people confess to a religious figure that confession is protected by clergy-penitent privilege and cannot be disclosed. Anything said to the fake priest would be inadmissible and any evidence discovered as a result that confession would be suppressed under the “fruit of the poisonous tree” doctrine.
Sgt. Mcbride: … In regards to masquerading as a religious figure, wow, I can‟t see where that would ever work. The outrage of the community would probably not be very pretty, not to mention the illegality of anything gotten from such a confession.
http://fdlaction.firedoglake.com/2010/12/23/bradley-manning-and-the-convenient-memories-of-adrian-lamo/#comment-135599
I think maybe the rest of the world views us more like a mildly retarded 6 year old unconsciously and obliviously brandishing a loaded sub-machine gun with the safety off around a crowded playground.
This is the testimony given in court. No member of the media is barred from printing anything I have published. Of course, certain outlets place word limits on reports or they don’t think certain information is important to the story.
Now that I have uttered all the words not fit for print and popped my eyeballs back into their sockets I will add a couple things.
Lamo has been actively working for close to two years with Military Intelligence. Let’s put that another way and say this:
Lamo has been spying in America on Americans for the government and Military Intelligence. Not only that, Lamo has been spying on Military personnel for the government and Military Intelligence!
Let me get this again to the point. A Civilian Hacker that is highly medicated due to personal reasons, A CIVILIAN HACKER has been employed by the GOVERMENT and MILITARY INTELLIGENCE to SPY on MILITARY PERSONNEL.
Oh My GOD! Yeah, we knew the government was spying on us. We didn’t know the Military was actively spying on Americans yet, and we DEFINITELY didn’t know the Military was using Civilians to spy on the Military!
Have your eyes fallen out of the sockets yet?
I hope Lamo no longer expects privacy.
I don’t think he would like the same amount of transparency he gave to Manning.
ghost,
Anyone can become a minister for theUniversal Life Church.
The cost used to be $10.00
My buddy mailed a coupon in to them years ago and has legally married several people.
BoxTurtle, please do not conflate “Universal Life Church” with UU (Unitarian Universalists). They are not even remotely similar. You owe the real UU’s an apology. Thank you.