Assange: Manning 'quintessential whistleblower'

The founder of Wikileaks, Julian Assange, has criticised the conviction of Bradley Manning, the US Army private who leaked thousands of classified documents.

Pte Manning, 25, has been convicted of espionage but not of aiding the enemy.

In a video released by Wikileaks, Mr Assange attacked the verdict and said Bradley Manning had been wrongly punished for revealing crimes by the US government.