Anti-War Activists Rally in Support of Soldier Accused of Leaking Documents

QUANTICO, Va. -- Anti-war activists are rallying in a Quantico, Va., municipal park near the marine base in support of an Army private charged with leaking classified material to the website WikiLeaks. Counter-protesters also are set to rally.

The event Sunday is aimed at freeing Bradley Manning, a 22-year-old intelligence analyst. He is being held at the Quantico Marine Corps Base pending possible trial on charges he leaked dozens of diplomatic cables, plus secret video, of a 2007 U.S. helicopter attack on unarmed men in Baghdad.

Organizers include Courage to Resist, an Oakland, Calif., group that is raising money to help pay a civilian defense attorney.

Another organizer, the anti-war group CodePink, says it's unjust that Manning sits in jail while no one in the Bush or Obama administration has been charged with war crimes in Iraq or Afghanistan.

A counter-protest sponsored by the Washington, D.C., chapter of FreeRepublic.com also is planned. Spokesman Kristinn Taylor said military veterans and others are planning to protest and denounce Manning and groups such as CodePink. Taylor said the counter-protesters want to show their support for the wars overseas and members of the military.