A lawyer has protested after a US Army private suspected of giving classified material to WikiLeaks was forced to sleep naked in his cell at a Marine Corps prison near Washington.

The Marines have confirmed that Pfc Bradley Manning was made to take off his boxer shorts for about seven hours on Wednesday night due to what 1st Lt Brian Villiard calls a "situationally driven" event.

Villiard refused to say more, citing concerns about Manning's privacy.

Defence lawyer David Coombs said the action was inexcusable and the conditions of Manning's pre-trial confinement were punitive and violate military rules.

The former intelligence analyst is charged with aiding the enemy and other offences for allegedly leaking classified information.

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