VIDEO - U.S. Investigates Killing of Iraqi Civilian Family

[dzika]

broadcast on March 21, 2006

VIDEO - U.S. Investigates Killing of Iraqi Civilian Family

A video tape uncovered by Time Magazine showing evidence of an attack on Iraqi civilians in Haditha has renewed human rights calls for investigations into possible war crimes by the U.S. military. The Pentagon announced that 12 Marines were under investigation for the deaths shown in the video tape.

The video in this post has a BBC report on the U.S. military investigation as well as reports from the point of view of Arab television.

Here are some details from a March 21 AP report:

(AP) A videotape taken by an Iraqi shows the aftermath of an alleged attack by U.S. troops on civilians in their homes in a western town last November: a blood-smeared bedroom floor and bits of what appear to be human flesh and bullet holes on the walls.
...
The video, obtained by Time magazine and repeatedly aired by Arab televisions throughout the day, also showed bodies of women and children in plastic bags on the floor of what appeared to be a morgue. Men were seen standing in the middle of bodies, some of which were covered with blankets before being placed in a pickup truck.

The images were broadcast a day after residents of Haditha, 140 miles west of Baghdad, told The Associated Press that American troops entered homes and shot dead 15 members of two families, including a 3-year-old girl, after a roadside bomb killed a U.S. Marine.

Last week, the U.S. military announced that a dozen Marines are under investigation for possible war crimes in the Nov. 19 incident, which left at least 23 Iraqis dead in addition to the Marine.

WARNING: This video contains graphic images.

http://www.ameratsu.com/media/vid/bbc/bbc_iraq_haditha_investigation_060322a_320x240.flv&width=320&height=240&OrigWidth=320&OrigHeight=240">
http://www.ameratsu.com/media/vid/bbc/bbc_iraq_haditha_investigation_060322a_320x240.flv&width=320&height=240&OrigWidth=320&OrigHeight=240">Video in Streaming Flash format...
Video in Windows Media format...

http://veredictum.com/node/145

[sabra]

1. thank you for this

peace.

[wtmusic]

2. Those Marines, every last one, should hang

but of course they won't. And these were just some who got caught...

We should send video cameras to Iraq to keep an eye on these sick MFers. It's obvious their superiors can't.

[FARAFIELD]

3. its sort of misleading

The march 21st report is about the MArch 15th incident and the video is about the november incident. You label them but they info is sort of mixed and a lot of people could get confused. My dad is an ex marine and you have to be less slipshod about how you present things I called matthew schofield who wrote the story for Knight Ridder myself his cell phone is availiable. Its way too important to get the stories right if it happened that way. We will never know about the november incident. the march 15 one is much more easy to find out about because the IRAQI police actually filed the report and are notorious for not doing that against american forces. But there was a 6 month old and a 75 year old in the march 15th incident and will be hard to explain.

[dzika]

6. Don't see where it's misleading...

Can you explain (or links would be better) how the "March 21st report is about a March 15 incident"?

As far as I can tell, all of the video and the AP report are referring to a November incident in Haditha. In fact, the AP report says:

Last week, the U.S. military announced that a dozen Marines are under investigation for possible war crimes in the Nov. 19 incident, which left at least 23 Iraqis dead in addition to the Marine.

The video also refers to the same November incident in Haditha. There are so many incidents in Iraq that it's hard to keep track. In this case, I believe that all cited reports are referencing the same killings.

[wtmusic]

8. look

the US military has a long history of sweeping things like this under the rug. They don't acknowledge these incidents unless they absolutely have to. Then there is an "investigation", and someone gets their hand slapped for murdering a civilian. Case in point: the NV Marine who executed an Iraqi (shot in back of head) in cold blood and walked, keeping the man's ID as a "souvenir". No excuse.

Abu Ghraib is another example. Without photographs that crap would still be going on (maybe it is anyway). Let's talk about the "slipshod" way the Marines discipline their own...

[qanda]

4. Very sad

I hope they get to the bottom of this and whoever is responsible pays for this crime against humanity.

[FatDave]

5. ...

[bluedog]

7. “All the victims had gunshot wounds to the head”.

What parent can look at these photographs and not be consumed with rage?

The US military openly admits it attacked the house in Ishaqi where the incident took place. Reuters reports that, “Major Ali Ahmed of the Ishaqi police said US forces landed on the roof of the house in the early hours and shot the 11 occupants, including five children.”

“After they left the house they blew it up”, he said. “The bodies, their hands bound, had been dumped in one room before the house was destroyed,” (policeman) Hussein said. Police had found spent American issue cartridges in the rubble.” (Reuters)

The autopsy report at the Tikrit hospital said, “All the victims had gunshot wounds to the head”.

Iraqi policeman Farouq Hussein noted, “It is a clear and perfect crime without any doubt”.


http://dailywarnews.blogspot.com/ (Iraqi Police Report)

[Sydnie]

9. why is this not on the greatest page yet?

We need to see this and share this!

Thanks for posting this link.

[dzika]

10. ...