Monday, June 19, 2006

Murder Charges Filed Against US Soldiers

Via Reuters:

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - The U.S. military said on Monday three U.S. soldiers had been charged over the deaths of three male prisoners north of Baghdad on May 9.

It said the soldiers, the most senior a non-commissioned officer, faced charges including "murder, attempted murder, conspiracy, communicating a threat, and obstructing justice."

It was not clear whether all three faced the murder charge.

"Three members of 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division have been charged in connection with the deaths of three male detainees during an operation near Thar Thar Canal," the U.S. military said in a statement.

It was not clear if the deaths took place during a raid on a suspected insurgent training camp near Thar Thar Lake, southwest of Tikrit, on May 9, when, the military said at the time, more than 200 people were detained at a former chemicals factory.
[...]
Last month, the military issued a statement hailing the success of Operation Iron Triangle, a three-day raid launched on May 9 against the Muthana Chemical Complex near Thar Thar Lake, a sprawling plant closed after the fall of Saddam Hussein.

This story seems to have come out of nowhere. The Defense Department certainly touted the raid as a huge victory when it happened and, according to a Google search, no suspicions were raised publicly that an investigation had even occured.

Raw Story has video of CNN's Barbara Starr's reporting of the story.

Update: CNN's Jamie McIntyre reports that the charges stem from an alleged attempt to make it seem that the three detainees killed had been fleeing when they were shot. The names of those charged have now also been released.

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