Government foiled on money issue in WikiLeaks case

FORT MEADE, MD. — The government is struggling to prove a key element in the theft charges against Pfc. Bradley Manning, the soldier on trial for leaking classified information to WikiLeaks.

The judge in Manning’s court-martial ruled Tuesday that a witness called by the government will not be allowed to testify as an expert about the monetary value of the leaked documents.

Though aiding the enemy is the most serious of 21 charges against Manning, there also are five counts of theft — each saying he stole a thing of value worth more than $1,000.

Manning says he leaked documents while serving in Iraq in 2010 to expose wronging and help Americans better understand the war.