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The War Profiteers - War Crimes,
Kidnappings, Torture and Big Money |
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March 21st,
2007 - Soldier Pleads to Role in Rape, Murders |
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Soldier Pleads to Role in
Rape, Murders By Kristin M. Hall Associated Press March 21, 2007 8:46 PM Fort Campbell, Ky. - A Fort
Campbell soldier pleaded guilty Wednesday to being an accessory to the rape
and murder of a 14-year-old Iraqi girl and the slaying of her family. Pfc. Bryan Howard, 20, also
pleaded guilty to conspiracy to obstruct justice by lying to his superior
officers about the attack last year in Mahmoudiya, 20 miles south of Baghdad.
It was one of the most shocking atrocities in the Iraq war. Howard could get up to 15
years in prison at a sentencing hearing expected to begin later Wednesday. Five soldiers were charged
in the rape of Abeer Qassim al-Janabi and the killings of her, her parents
and her younger sister. Two of the soldiers previously pleaded guilty and
said Howard's role was minimal. Howard told the judge
Wednesday he was left behind at a checkpoint while four other soldiers went
to rape the girl. Howard said he overheard the four planning the attack. Howard said he only started
to realize that someone had been killed after the soldiers returned about 10
minutes later. He said the four soldiers were in a “hectic state and hyper.” Howard said he saw blood on
one of the soldier's uniforms, but he didn't remember which one. “I was slowly starting to
believe what they had done, that they had committed the crimes, the rape and
the murder,” Howard said. Spc. James P. Barker and
Sgt. Paul E. Cortez, who have pleaded guilty to rape and murder, have said
they took turns raping the girl while Pfc. Steven D. Green shot and killed
her mother, father and younger sister. Green, who is accused of
being the ringleader but was discharged from the military before being
charged, will be prosecuted in a federal court in Kentucky. He pleaded not
guilty to charges including murder and sexual assault. Barker said Howard and
another soldier charged, Pfc. Jesse V. Spielman, did not participate in the
rape and killings, but he said they were at the house when the assault
occurred and had come knowing what the others intended to do. Barker was sentenced to 90
years in prison and Cortez received 100. External link: http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,,-6498018,00.html |