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The War Profiteers - War Crimes,
Kidnappings, Torture and Big Money |
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December 13th,
2006 - Haditha Massacre Charges Imminent |
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Haditha Massacre Charges
Imminent ABC News Has Learned That U.S. Soldiers Allegedly Involved in Alleged
Haditha Massacre Will Soon Be Charged By Jonathan Karl ABC News Dec. 13, 2006 In an indication there will
soon be criminal charges in the alleged Haditha massacre, ABC News has
obtained an order from a top Marine general authorizing the appointment of
military defense lawyers to any Marines brought up on charges in connection
with the case. The order from Lt. Gen.
James Mattis is dated Dec. 12, 2006, and authorizes the appointment of
"one detailed defense counsel per accused" in "cases arising
out of alleged misconduct in Haditha." Military sources tell ABC
News that at least a half dozen Marines will face criminal charges in
connection with the alleged murder of 24 civilians in the Iraqi town of
Haditha on Nov. 19, 2005. The most serious charges are
expected to be filed against the Marines who were on the scene of the
killings, including squad leader Staff Sgt. Frank Wuterich. The sources would not
specify what charges the Marines would face, but they are expected to be
either murder or manslaughter. At least one senior Marine
officer who was not on the scene at the time of the killings will also be
charged, according to sources familiar with the case. The most likely charges for
officers up the chain of command, sources say, is "dereliction of
duty," which carries a maximum penalty of six months in prison. The Haditha killings
happened after a roadside bomb hit a Marine convoy, killing Lance Cpl. Miguel
Terrazas. After the bomb exploded, the
Marines allegedly killed five unarmed men in a nearby vehicle and then raided
a nearby cluster of houses, killing a total of 24 civilians, including 15
women and children. Although the killings in Haditha took place in November
2005, the details were not made public until Time Magazine broke the story in
March 2006. Until then, the military had
said that 15 civilians had been killed by a roadside bomb planted by
insurgents. Military officials later
acknowledged that the death toll was higher and that none of the civilians
were killed by the roadside bomb. In addition to the criminal
charges, the military has conducted an extensive investigation into whether
there was a cover-up. The sources said it was
still unclear when the results of that investigation would be made public. Copyright © 2006 ABC News
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