Us soldiers accusedinafghancivilianmurders
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- Five US soldiers have been charged with pre-meditated murder for allegedly killing three unarmed Afghan civilians. - A confession video shows Corporal Jeremy Morlock describing how his sergeant, Calvin Gibbs, randomly selected innocent victims and ordered Morlock and others to kill them, making it look like the civilians were killed in action. - Morlock admits to opening fire on civilians out of fear of disobeying Gibbs' orders, saying Gibbs carried grenades to plant on the bodies and make the killings seem justified. - The five soldiers were part of a Stryker brigade based at Fort Lewis-McChord, Washington. They face charges including pre-meditated murder, drug use,
Us soldiers accusedinafghancivilianmurders
- 1. U.S. Soldiers Accused in Afghan Civilian Murders - CBS Evening News - CBS News Page 1 of 4 THE PENTAGON, May 20, 2010 U.S. Soldiers Accused in Afghan Civilian Murders Squad of 10 Soldiers Under Investigation in Deaths of 3 Villagers Who q g Angered Troops; Charges Could be Filed Next Week By David Martin (CBS) Gen. Stanley McChrystal, the top commander in Afghanistan, has gone to extraordinary lengths to reduce the accidental killing of Afghan civilians, but now there is a case in which American soldiers are accused of murder. The alleged killings happened near Kandahar in southern Afghanistan, where U.S. troops are gearing Play CBS Video U.S. Troops Accused of up for the most important operation of the war, CBS Murder News national security correspondent David The U.S. military has gone to Martin reports. extraordinary lengths to reduce the accidental killing of Afghan civilians. Now, 10 American soldiers are accused of Special Section: Afghanistan intentionally murdering civilians. Dave Martin reports. Members of a squad of about 10 American soldiers are under investigation for murdering at least three local villagers who had angered them. According to the allegations, this is not a case of civilians being mistaken for Taliban fighters and not a one-time moment of rage. Instead, it happened on different occasions over the past several months. The squad leader, a sergeant, is said to have done the shooting. (CBS) EXHIBIT 132 http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2010/05/20/eveningnews/main6504056.shtml?tag=content... 9/8/2010
- 2. U.S. Soldiers Accused in Afghan Civilian Murders - CBS Evening News - CBS News Page 2 of 4 In addition, some members of the squad are accused of smoking hash. Charges could be brought against the soldiers as early as next week. http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2010/05/20/eveningnews/main6504056.shtml?tag=content... 9/8/2010
- 3. U.S. Soldiers Charged in Afghan Civilian Murders - CBS Evening News - CBS News Page 1 of 4 THE PENTAGON, Sept. 8, 2010 U.S. Soldiers Charged in Afghan Civilian Murders Five Soldiers Accused of Murdering Afghan Civilians Just Because They g Afghan fg Could; Seven More Involved in Cover-Up (CBS) Gen. David Petraeus has said the United States can't succeed in Afghanistan without winning the hearts and minds of Afghan civilians. Now, CBS News national security correspondent David Martin reports, there's a disturbing development in a story first reported in May involving U.S. soldiers accused of killing civilians in g Five American soldiers are accused of cold blood. murdering Afghan civilians. (CBS) Twelve soldiers have been charged in the case. If the charges are proven, this was the platoon from hell. CBSNews.com Special Report: Afghanistan Five American soldiers accused of murdering Afghan civilians just because they could, seven f more involved in the cover-up; plus mutilating corpses, taking pot shots at Afghan civilians, smoking hashish, and beating up a private who blew the whistle. They may have done more harm to the American cause in Afghanistan than any equivalent number of Taliban could hope to cause. "This is the kind of thing that hurts us enormously," says Michael O'Hanlon, a senior fellow on foreign policy at the Brookings Institution. "It will have a disproportionate effect, just like Abu Ghraib did. Just like any such incident. Just like the Quran burning would in Florida." http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2010/09/08/eveningnews/main6847172.shtml 9/8/2010
- 4. U.S. Soldiers Charged in Afghan Civilian Murders - CBS Evening News - CBS News Page 2 of 4 The soldiers were operating in the Taliban heartland near Kandahar where they were supposed to be winning hearts and minds. According to court documents, it began when Sgt. Calvin Gibbs joked about how easy it would be "toss a grenade at someone and kill them." It turned into a conspiracy when five soldiers allegedly formed a "kill team" and on separate occasions murdered three Afghan civilians, apparently chosen at random. Defense attorneys intend to fight the charges -- but whatever the outcome of the court case the damage in Afghanistan has already been done. http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2010/09/08/eveningnews/main6847172.shtml 9/8/2010
- 5. Confession Video: US Soldier Describes Thrill Kill of Innocent Afghans Page 1 of 2 Confession Video: US Soldier Describes Thrill Kill of Innocent Afghans Corporal, 22, Tells How His 'Crazy' Sergeant Allegedly Murdered For Kicks, Collected Body Parts By MATTHEW COLE and BRIAN ROSS Sept. 27, 2010— Dressed in a t-shirt and Army shorts, a 22-year-old corporal from Wasilla, Alaska casually describes on l y a video tape made by military investigators how his unit's "crazy" sergeant randomly chose three p y y g t unarmed, innocent victims to be murdered in Afghanistan. g p Corporal Jeremy N. Morlock is one of five GI's charged with pre-meditated murder in a case that includes allegations of widespread drug use, the collection of body parts and photos of the U.S. soldiers g p g , holding the Afghan bodies like hunter's trophies. All five soldiers were part of the 5th Stryker Combat Brigade, of the 2nd Infantry Division, based at Ft. Lewis-McChord, Washington. In charging documents released by the Army, the military alleges that the five, Staff Sgt. Calvin R. Gibbs, Spec Adam C. Winfield, Spec. Michael S. Wagnon II, Pfc. Andrew H. Holmes and Morlock were involved in one or more of three murders that took place between January and May of this year. Lawyers and family members of the soldiers say they all intend to fight the charges. An Article 32 hearing for Morlock, the military equivalent of a grand jury, is scheduled later today at Fort Lewis-McChord, Washington. On the tape, obtained by ABC News, Morlock admits his role in the deaths of three Afghans but claims the plan was organized by his unit's sergeant, Calvin Gibbs, who is also charged with pre-meditated murder. "He just really doesn't have any problems with f---ing killing these people," Morlock said on tape as he j y yp g g p p , p laid out the scenario he said the sergeant used to make it seem the civilians were killed in action. "And so we identify a guy. Gibbs makes a comment, like, you know, you guys wanna wax this guy or what?" Morlock told military investigators during an interview videotaped in May at Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan. The corporal said Gibbs gave orders to open fire on the civilian at the same time Gibbs threw a hand http://abcnews.go.com/print?id=11732681 9/27/2010
- 6. Confession Video: US Soldier Describes Thrill Kill of Innocent Afghans Page 2 of 2 grenade at the victim. "He pulled out one of his grenades, an American grenade, you know, popped it, throws it, tells me where p g , g ,y , p pp , to go to whack this guy, kill this guy, kill this guy," Morlock told the investigators. Allegations that US Soldiers Killed Innocent Civilians in Afghanistan Morlock said Sergeant Gibbs carried a Russian grenade to throw next to the body of the dead Afghan, to g g make it seem he was about to attack the American soldiers. The corporal said he opened fire as directed, fearful of not following Gibbs' orders. "It's definitely not the right thing to do," Morlock told the investigators. "But I mean, when you got a squad leader bringing you into that, that type of real, that mindset, and he believes that you're on board with that, there's definitely no way you wanted him to think otherwise." The investigator asked Morlock, "Because you felt maybe the next shot might be coming your way?" "You never know. Exactly," answered Morlock. "I mean Gibbs talked about how easy it is, people disappear on the battlefield all the time." A lawyer for Gibbs declined to comment. All five charged are in military custody. Morlock's lawyer, Michael Waddington, said his client made his confession at a time when he was y , taking heavy medication. "My client did not kill anyone," said Waddington. "He did not use any bullets or any grenades to kill any of these individuals." In addition to murder, the Army's charging documents allege rampant drug use in Morlock's unit, as well as the dismemberment of dead Afghan civilians. Cpl. Morlock describes how Sergeant Gibbs allegedly collected the fingers of some of his Afghan victims. "It's his thing now," said Morlock. "I don't know, his crazy stuff. War trophies, whatever." Morlock said Gibbs boasted of carrying out similar murders in Iraq but was never caught and threatened y g q g the men in his unit with harm if they refused to participate or revealed what was happening. "If Gibbs knew that I was sitting in front of this camera right now, there's no doubt in my mind that he'd f---ing take me out if he had to," Morlock told the Army investigators. [email protected] Click Here for the Blotter Homepage. Copyright © 2010 ABC News Internet Ventures http://abcnews.go.com/print?id=11732681 9/27/2010