|
The War Profiteers - War Crimes,
Kidnappings, Torture and Big Money |
|
September 12th,
2008 - 2 US Soldiers to Face Court-Martial in Iraq Deaths |
|
2 US Soldiers
to Face Court-Martial in Iraq Deaths By Patrick McGroarty Associated Press September 12, 2008 Berlin - Two American
soldiers will face a court-martial in Germany for the alleged slaying of four
prisoners in Iraq, the Army announced Friday. Authorities say the Iraqi
men were blindfolded, shot in the head and dumped in a Baghdad canal,
allegedly in retribution for casualties in the 1st Battalion, 18th Infantry
Regiment to which the two soldiers - and two others who are also accused -
belonged. Lt. Col. Eric Bloom,
spokesman for the Army Joint Multinational Training Command in Grafenwoehr,
Germany, said that Spc. Belmor Ramos, 23, and Spc. Steven Ribordy, 25, both
of 1st Battalion, 18th Infantry Regiment, are charged with conspiracy to
commit premeditated murder. Ribordy is also charged with being an accessory
after the fact. In an earlier statement, the
Army said the allegations related to "the deaths of several detainees
who were captured as part of combat operations last year." The killings
allegedly took place in April 2007. That statement, released in
January, said that "preliminary findings indicate the deceased detainees
were not persons detained in a detention facility," indicating the men
were killed shortly after being captured. Staff Sgt. Jess Cunningham
and Sgt. Charles Quigley, are also accused of participating in the murders.
Cunningham and Quigley appeared at an Article 32 hearing, similar to a
civilian grand jury investigation, in Vilseck, Germany, last month. Defense
lawyers argued that they did not participate in the killings. "An investigating
officer has not determined whether or not to proceed to a
court-martial," against Cunningham and Quigley, Bloom said. Ramos and Ribordy waived
their right to an Article 32 hearing. Bloom said that, because of that, the
two will go on to a court-martial. An Army statement released
Friday said the court-martial represented only an accusation against the
soldiers. "The accused Soldiers are presumed innocent until and unless
proven guilty," the statement said. Ramos' court-martial
appearance is scheduled for Sept. 18 at a courtroom in Vilseck, Germany. A
date for Ribordy's court-martial has not been set. Copyright © 2008 The
Associated Press. External link: http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5jT_5PGYtGZytODmicOPphKtIPm0QD935BL1G0 |