Manning 'does not want jail move'

A lawyer for convicted US government secrets leaker Chelsea Manning has said the Army private wants to get treatment for her gender disorder at the Fort Leavenworth military prison, not at a civilian jail.

That comes after military officials said the Pentagon is trying to transfer Manning to the federal Bureau of Prisons.

Lawyer David Coombs said the federal prison system is not as safe as the military prison in Kansas. He said the proposed transfer would force Manning to choose between medical treatment and her personal safety. Transgender people are not allowed to serve in the military.

The Defence Department does not provide such treatment, but Manning cannot be discharged from the service while serving her 35-year prison sentence.