Rallies for WikiLeaks soldier planned in Mpls., other cities

Supporters of the Army private charged with leaking classified material to WikiLeaks are calling for his release at rallies and events scheduled through this weekend in 18 U.S. cities, including one in Minneapolis on Friday.

The so-called "Days of Action" begin Thursday with a rally in Oakland, Calif., featuring Daniel Ellsberg.

Ellsberg was the source of the Pentagon Papers, which exposed secrets about the Vietnam War nearly 40 years ago.

Pfc. Bradley Manning is charged with leaking video of a 2007 U.S. Apache helicopter attack in Baghdad that killed a Reuters news photographer and his driver.

Military investigators say he also is a person of interest in the leak of nearly 77,000 Afghan war records WikiLeaks published online in July.

The Minneapolis event begins at 4:30 p.m. and is at the Mayday Bookstore on Cedar Avenue.

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On the Net:

Days of Action: http://www.bradleymanning.org/days-of-action/

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