US troops accused of killing Iraqi detainees refuse to testify

[Barrett808]

TIKRIT, Iraq (AFP) - Four US soldiers accused of killing three Iraqi prisoners refused to give evidence as a military hearing heard that one of the captives' brains were blown out as he lay injured.

The troops followed the lead of several of their superior officers, invoking their right not to incriminate themselves before a legal panel set up at their unit's base camp in the central Iraqi city of Tikrit.

The investigation of the four men from the famed "Rakkasans" -- the 3rd Combat Brigade of the 101st Airborne Division -- is expected to spotlight the US military's controversial and opaque rules of engagement in Iraq.

Civilian defence lawyers have said orders from the Rakkasans' commander, Colonel Michael Steele, called for troops to "kill all military age males" during a raid on May 9 on a suspected Al-Qaeda base.

(more)

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20060803/pl_afp/iraqustrial

[leftchick]

1. Michael Steele....

coward! :puke:



Army Lt. Col. Michael Steele is shown in this Nov. 27, 2001, photo at Camp McGovern, Bosnia. The U.S. Army opened a hearing Tuesday, Aug. 1, 2006 to determine whether four soldiers from Fort Campbell, Ky., must stand trial for allegedly murdering three Iraqis during a raid where they claimed they were under orders to 'kill all military-age males.' A civilian lawyer representing one of the accused soldiers told the investigating officer that he intended to call the brigade commander, Col. Steele, to testify during the hearing. Steele was not present in the hearing room Tuesday. The investigating officer, an Army lieutant colonel, said Steele had signed a statement 'invoking his right not to testify.' (AP Photo/Haraz N. Ghanbari, U.S. Army)

[Drum]

3. Whatev...

defendants in criminal trials are not compelled to testify. Evidence convicts them, nevertheless.

[Tight_rope]

2. If Rummy the Dummy doesn't have to testify...Why should they.

:puke: :puke:

[ConcernedCanuk]

4. Colonel Michael Steele, called for troops to "kill all military age males"

.
.
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using that criteria, and considering the US military also employs females

Does that make every one in the US from the age of 17 to 65 a legitimate target for "invaders" ??

Sumthing to think about . .

I'm sure the "invaders" are . .

(sigh)

[uppityperson]

5. Won't they get convicted anyay? MIght'nt testifying help stop this shit?

Seems like if you were going to be convicted, and you wanted to help stop this sort of stuff, that testifying would be a good thing.