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Iraqi medic describes finding burned body of girl in US troops' rape-slaying
hearing
BAGHDAD, Iraq_An Iraqi army medic told a U.S. military hearing Sunday he was
sick for weeks after finding the naked and burned body of a 14-year-old girl
allegedly raped and murdered by American soldiers south of Baghdad
The medic gave his testimony on the opening day of a hearing to determine
whether five U.S. soldiers must stand trial in the March 12 rape-slaying of
Abeer Qassim al-Janabi and the killing of her parents and sister.
It is among the worst in a series of cases of alleged abuse of Iraqis by
American soldiers.
The medic, whose name was withheld for security reasons, told the hearing
that he was the first responder to enter the house and found the girl
sprawled naked in the house, her torso and head burned by flames. She had a
single bullet wound under her left eye, he said.
He testified that he found Abeer's 5-year-old sister, Hadeel, in an adjacent
room. She was shot in the head and the bullet had blown the back of her head
out, he said. The children's parents _ father Qassim and mother Fikhriya _
had suffered similar deaths: the mother's abdomen and chest were riddled
with bullets, he said.
After witnessing the scene, the medic said he was ill for weeks.
He also told the hearing that because there was not enough space in the
Mahmoudiya hospital to store the bodies, they were kept in an
air-conditioned ambulance overnight, and buried the following day.
Four soldiers _ Sgt. Paul E. Cortez, Spc. James P. Barker, Pfc. Jesse V.
Spielman, Pfc. Bryan L. Howard _ have been accused of rape and murder _ and
could face the death penalty. A fifth, Sgt. Anthony W. Yribe, is accused of
failing to report the attack but is not alleged to have been a direct
participant.
A former private, Steven D. Green, was arrested in North Carolina in June on
rape and murder charges. Green has pleaded not guilty in federal court and
is being held without bond.
The proceeding that opened Sunday is referred to as an Article 32 hearing,
and is the military equivalent of a grand jury session.
The medic was among three Iraqi witnesses to give testimony Sunday.
Reporters were not allowed to hear the first two witnesses but were allowed
back in the hearing room when the medic took the stand.
Military prosecutor Capt. William Fischbach showed him a series of bloody
crime scene photographs to confirm if the bodies were as he found them when
he entered the room.
However, the defense attorneys alleged that the bodies were staged for the
pictures. They also questioned whether the victims were shot to death,
suggesting they were already dead when the bullets were pumped into their
bodies.
U.S. officials are concerned the case will strain relations with Iraq's new
government if Iraqis perceive the soldiers receive lenient treatment. The
case has already increased demands for changes in an agreement that exempts
U.S. soldiers from prosecution in Iraqi courts.
U.S. officials have assured Iraqis that the case will be pursued vigorously
and that the soldiers will be punished if convicted. Prime Minister Nouri
al-Maliki has demanded an independent investigation into the case.
The hearing is expected to last several days, and parts will be held in
secret.
U.S. soldiers' conduct has come under spotlight over a series of similar
incidents.
Four soldiers from another regiment have been accused of killing three Iraqi
detainees in Samarra three months ago. The Article 32 hearing in that case
wrapped up Friday in Tikrit but no decision on a trial was announced.
In another case, the U.S. command said Saturday that Sgt. Milton Ortiz Jr.
of the 2nd Battalion, 28th Infantry Regiment of the Pennsylvania National
Guard, was reduced in rank to specialist after pleading guilty to conspiracy
to obstruct justice by placing a rifle near a mortally wounded Iraqi in
February and threatening and assaulting an Iraqi in March.
The charges resulted from the killing of an unarmed Iraqi near Ramadi by
Spc. Nathan Lynn, who was cleared last month of manslaughter and conspiring
to obstruct justice.
Also, the Marine Corps and Navy prosecutors are reviewing evidence to
determine whether to recommend criminal charges against Marines accused of
killing 24 Iraqi civilians in Haditha in November.
hearing
BAGHDAD, Iraq_An Iraqi army medic told a U.S. military hearing Sunday he was
sick for weeks after finding the naked and burned body of a 14-year-old girl
allegedly raped and murdered by American soldiers south of Baghdad
The medic gave his testimony on the opening day of a hearing to determine
whether five U.S. soldiers must stand trial in the March 12 rape-slaying of
Abeer Qassim al-Janabi and the killing of her parents and sister.
It is among the worst in a series of cases of alleged abuse of Iraqis by
American soldiers.
The medic, whose name was withheld for security reasons, told the hearing
that he was the first responder to enter the house and found the girl
sprawled naked in the house, her torso and head burned by flames. She had a
single bullet wound under her left eye, he said.
He testified that he found Abeer's 5-year-old sister, Hadeel, in an adjacent
room. She was shot in the head and the bullet had blown the back of her head
out, he said. The children's parents _ father Qassim and mother Fikhriya _
had suffered similar deaths: the mother's abdomen and chest were riddled
with bullets, he said.
After witnessing the scene, the medic said he was ill for weeks.
He also told the hearing that because there was not enough space in the
Mahmoudiya hospital to store the bodies, they were kept in an
air-conditioned ambulance overnight, and buried the following day.
Four soldiers _ Sgt. Paul E. Cortez, Spc. James P. Barker, Pfc. Jesse V.
Spielman, Pfc. Bryan L. Howard _ have been accused of rape and murder _ and
could face the death penalty. A fifth, Sgt. Anthony W. Yribe, is accused of
failing to report the attack but is not alleged to have been a direct
participant.
A former private, Steven D. Green, was arrested in North Carolina in June on
rape and murder charges. Green has pleaded not guilty in federal court and
is being held without bond.
The proceeding that opened Sunday is referred to as an Article 32 hearing,
and is the military equivalent of a grand jury session.
The medic was among three Iraqi witnesses to give testimony Sunday.
Reporters were not allowed to hear the first two witnesses but were allowed
back in the hearing room when the medic took the stand.
Military prosecutor Capt. William Fischbach showed him a series of bloody
crime scene photographs to confirm if the bodies were as he found them when
he entered the room.
However, the defense attorneys alleged that the bodies were staged for the
pictures. They also questioned whether the victims were shot to death,
suggesting they were already dead when the bullets were pumped into their
bodies.
U.S. officials are concerned the case will strain relations with Iraq's new
government if Iraqis perceive the soldiers receive lenient treatment. The
case has already increased demands for changes in an agreement that exempts
U.S. soldiers from prosecution in Iraqi courts.
U.S. officials have assured Iraqis that the case will be pursued vigorously
and that the soldiers will be punished if convicted. Prime Minister Nouri
al-Maliki has demanded an independent investigation into the case.
The hearing is expected to last several days, and parts will be held in
secret.
U.S. soldiers' conduct has come under spotlight over a series of similar
incidents.
Four soldiers from another regiment have been accused of killing three Iraqi
detainees in Samarra three months ago. The Article 32 hearing in that case
wrapped up Friday in Tikrit but no decision on a trial was announced.
In another case, the U.S. command said Saturday that Sgt. Milton Ortiz Jr.
of the 2nd Battalion, 28th Infantry Regiment of the Pennsylvania National
Guard, was reduced in rank to specialist after pleading guilty to conspiracy
to obstruct justice by placing a rifle near a mortally wounded Iraqi in
February and threatening and assaulting an Iraqi in March.
The charges resulted from the killing of an unarmed Iraqi near Ramadi by
Spc. Nathan Lynn, who was cleared last month of manslaughter and conspiring
to obstruct justice.
Also, the Marine Corps and Navy prosecutors are reviewing evidence to
determine whether to recommend criminal charges against Marines accused of
killing 24 Iraqi civilians in Haditha in November.