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The War Profiteers - War Crimes,
Kidnappings, Torture and Big Money |
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November 3rd, 2006 - Former Fort
Campbell Soldier Indicted in Iraq Murders, Rape |
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Former Fort Campbell Soldier
Indicted in Iraq Murders, Rape By Jason Riley The Courier-Journal Friday, November 3, 2006 The former U.S. Army private
charged with raping a 14-year-old Iraqi girl and murdering her, along with three
members of her family, was indicted yesterday by a federal grand jury in
Louisville. The indictment charges
Steven D. Green, 21, with acting in an "especially heinous, cruel, and
depraved manner," alleging that the killings involved "torture and
serious physical abuse." Green faces charges
including four counts of murder and sexual abuse. If convicted, he could face
the death penalty or spend the rest of his life in prison, according to a
statement from the Justice Department. The indictment alleges that
Green and others sexually abused the teen, then burned her body to hide
evidence after the March 12 attack. Green and the other men killed the girl,
her father, mother and 6-year-old sister, according to the indictment. Green, who grew up in
Midland, Texas, was discharged in May for a severe personality disorder. His case is in the federal
court system in the Western District of Kentucky - which includes Fort
Campbell, home of Green's former unit, the 101st Airborne - because the
charges were brought after his discharge. The Army has charged five
men who are still soldiers. Earlier this month, it
announced that two Fort Campbell soldiers face the death penalty - Sgt. Paul
E. Cortez and Pfc. Jesse V. Spielman - in the rape and murders in Mahmoudiya,
about 20 miles south of Baghdad. Spc. James P. Barker and
Pfc. Bryan L. Howard are also accused in the rape and murders but will not
face the death penalty, the military said. And Sgt. Anthony W. Yribe is
accused of failing to report the attack but is not alleged to have
participated. Barker has agreed to
cooperate with prosecutors in their case against others, including Green. In
a June 30 statement, Barker described playing cards and drinking Iraqi
whiskey as the defendants plotted the attack. The Iraqi victims, according
to yesterday's indictment, were "particularly vulnerable" given
their youth. The indictment alleges that
the men left a traffic control point and walked into the home of 14-year-old
Abeer Kassem Hamza Al-Janabi, her younger sister and their parents. It says Green shot and
killed everyone but Abeer, who was then stripped and sexually assaulted by
Green and "others." Green then shot and killed Abeer, the
indictment reads. The soldiers then destroyed,
mutilated and concealed evidence, which included the burning of Abeer's body
and the clothing the soldiers wore during the slayings, the indictment says. The AK-47 used in the
killings was thrown into a canal. Nine soldiers from the 101st
Airborne are accused of wartime atrocities stemming from the division's
yearlong deployment that ended in September. Green was arrested June 30
and appeared in federal court in Louisville on July 6, entering not guilty
pleas. The case is expected to be
heard in Paducah. The charges against Green
are conspiracy to commit murder; conspiracy to commit aggravated sexual
abuse; four counts of premeditated murder; four counts of felony murder;
aggravated sexual abuse; aggravated sexual abuse with children; four counts
of using a firearm during a crime of violence; and obstruction of justice. The Associated Press
contributed to this story. External link:
http://www.courier-journal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061103/NEWS01/311030014 |