Outside Court Martial, Manning Compared To NSA Leaker Snowden

With the second week of testimony in the court martial of Pfc. Bradley Manning underway, supporters outside the courtroom are comparing the 25-year old former army intelligence analyst to NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden.

During most of the trial and pre-trial hearings for the army private accused of spilling government secrets to wikileaks, Manning's supporters compared him to Daniel Ellsberg, the former military analyst responsible for releasing the Pentagon Papers in 1971.

But over the weekend, IT contractor Edward Snowden claimed responsibility for revealing the National Security Agency's surveillance program. Both men are accused of breaking federal law. Manning supporter Debra van Poolen says she judges each by what their motivation was.

"From what I've heard of Snowden talking and what I 've heard Bradley say, they both have good intentions," she said. "They are thinking about the benefit of other people and that they put their on future and well being at risk to prove a point."

Monday's testimony in the Manning's court martial focused on computer forensic experts. Prosecutors presented testimony that attempted to make a connection between the breech of a secure government website and Manning.

Computer forensic specialist Steven Buchanan testified that digital logs revealed secret data from Intellink, a secure government system was accessed by Manning between 2009 and 2010.

Special Agent David Shaver, a second computer expert and government contractor, also testified that volumes of classified information downloaded from the same Intellink server was traced to Manning's computer.

Later defense attorney David Coombs tried to raise doubt about the testimony, suggesting that the activity recorded on Manning's computer could have been the result of faulty equipment or use by another operator. At one point, the special agent grudgingly agreed.

Day five of testimony in the court martial of Bradley Manning resumes on Tuesday morning.