Here's a story that REALLY gives me the red @ss
Link Removed
Court-Martial of Navy Seal Opens in Iraq
April 21, 2010 - 12:25 PM | by: Steve Centanni
An alleged terrorist accused in the grisly murders of four Americans appeared in court Wednesday in Iraq. But Ahmed Hashim Abed isn’t the one on trial. Instead, he was testifying against one of the Navy Seals who arrested him last September.
Petty Officer First Class Julio Huertas of Blue Island, Illinois, is being tried at a military base on the western outskirts of Baghdad. Huertas and two other Navy Seals face charges in connection with Abed’s arrest, during which the prisoner claims he was punched and kicked by at least one of his captors.
The case has prompted a huge outpouring of sympathy in the U.S., with thousands visiting websites in support of the Navy Seals. Many claim the four defendants should be hailed as heroes for capturing Abed instead of being court-martialed. At least 20 members of the U.S. Congress have urged Defense Secretary Robert Gates to drop all the charges.
In court Tuesday, Abed described the surprise raid on his home last year. He say he was with his wife at the time. He says he was blindfolded and taken to an unknown location and questioned. He told the court there was no abuse during the first questioning or at a second location where he was later taken. At a third location, however, Abed claims he was hit on his shoulders and back, then punched in to the stomach, causing him to fall on his face. While on the floor, he says he heard yelling and swearing.
The accused terrorist was handcuffed and blindfolded at the time and says he can’t identify anyone who might have hit him. He only remembers seeing someone wearing red shorts. Photos of Abed taken ten days after the alleged incident were also shown in court, but according to a Fox News representative inside the courtroom, the injuries did not look severe.
Petty Officer 2nd Class Matthew McCabe of Perrysberg, Ohio, is the only Navy Seal actually charged with assault in the case. His attorney, Neal Puckett, says on his website, “These terrorists are trained to claim abuse despite no physical evidence of such.” McCabe goes on trial May 3rd in Norfolk, VA.
Also in court in Baghdad, a Navy officer testified that he witnessed McCabe assaulting Abed. Petty Officer Third Class Kevin Demartino, who is not a Navy Seal, said he saw McCabe punch Abed in the stomach and saw blood coming from the prisoner’s mouth. Demartino was silent about the case at first, saying in court, “I wasn’t prepared to rat those guys out.” But after he learned there would be a formal investigation, he decided to cooperate with the prosecution.
McCabe is charged with assault, dereliction of duty and making false statements. Huertas is charged with dereliction of duty and impeding an investigation. A third Navy Seal, Jonathan Keefe of Yorktown, Pennsylvania, is charged only with dereliction of duty. He faces trial later this week in Baghdad.
___________________________________________________________________________________
Honestly, this kind of stuff is why a few veterans I know advised their kids to stay out of the military. They love their country and believe in what we are doing but don't trust the government to stand behind their sons or daughters.
Link Removed
Court-Martial of Navy Seal Opens in Iraq
April 21, 2010 - 12:25 PM | by: Steve Centanni
An alleged terrorist accused in the grisly murders of four Americans appeared in court Wednesday in Iraq. But Ahmed Hashim Abed isn’t the one on trial. Instead, he was testifying against one of the Navy Seals who arrested him last September.
Petty Officer First Class Julio Huertas of Blue Island, Illinois, is being tried at a military base on the western outskirts of Baghdad. Huertas and two other Navy Seals face charges in connection with Abed’s arrest, during which the prisoner claims he was punched and kicked by at least one of his captors.
The case has prompted a huge outpouring of sympathy in the U.S., with thousands visiting websites in support of the Navy Seals. Many claim the four defendants should be hailed as heroes for capturing Abed instead of being court-martialed. At least 20 members of the U.S. Congress have urged Defense Secretary Robert Gates to drop all the charges.
In court Tuesday, Abed described the surprise raid on his home last year. He say he was with his wife at the time. He says he was blindfolded and taken to an unknown location and questioned. He told the court there was no abuse during the first questioning or at a second location where he was later taken. At a third location, however, Abed claims he was hit on his shoulders and back, then punched in to the stomach, causing him to fall on his face. While on the floor, he says he heard yelling and swearing.
The accused terrorist was handcuffed and blindfolded at the time and says he can’t identify anyone who might have hit him. He only remembers seeing someone wearing red shorts. Photos of Abed taken ten days after the alleged incident were also shown in court, but according to a Fox News representative inside the courtroom, the injuries did not look severe.
Petty Officer 2nd Class Matthew McCabe of Perrysberg, Ohio, is the only Navy Seal actually charged with assault in the case. His attorney, Neal Puckett, says on his website, “These terrorists are trained to claim abuse despite no physical evidence of such.” McCabe goes on trial May 3rd in Norfolk, VA.
Also in court in Baghdad, a Navy officer testified that he witnessed McCabe assaulting Abed. Petty Officer Third Class Kevin Demartino, who is not a Navy Seal, said he saw McCabe punch Abed in the stomach and saw blood coming from the prisoner’s mouth. Demartino was silent about the case at first, saying in court, “I wasn’t prepared to rat those guys out.” But after he learned there would be a formal investigation, he decided to cooperate with the prosecution.
McCabe is charged with assault, dereliction of duty and making false statements. Huertas is charged with dereliction of duty and impeding an investigation. A third Navy Seal, Jonathan Keefe of Yorktown, Pennsylvania, is charged only with dereliction of duty. He faces trial later this week in Baghdad.
___________________________________________________________________________________
Honestly, this kind of stuff is why a few veterans I know advised their kids to stay out of the military. They love their country and believe in what we are doing but don't trust the government to stand behind their sons or daughters.
