Judge weighs Manning verdict

The military judge overseeing the trial of US soldier Bradley Manning over his massive transfer of secret files to WikiLeaks began considering her verdict after closing arguments Friday.
After hearing the final statements at Fort Meade outside Washington, Colonel Denise Lind closed the court. She is expected to give her verdict in the coming days.
At Manning's request, the judge -- and not a jury -- will decide his fate, and he will spend the rest of his life behind bars if convicted of the most serious charges against him.
Manning was a US army private serving as an intelligence analyst in Iraq when he sent anti-secrecy activist Julian Assange's WikiLeaks website a massive trove of diplomatic cables and classified military reports from Iraq and Afghanistan.
Supporters such as Assange argue that if he is convicted it will be a huge blow for the United States' cherished press freedoms, but opponents say Manning betrayed his country and his uniform while aiding America's enemies.
Defense attorney David Coombs told the military court Friday that Manning was no traitor but rather a "young, naive and good-intentioned" whistleblower.
Manning wanted to shed light on America's misdeeds on the battlefield, Coombs argued.