US soldier to be tried in murder of Iraqi civilian

[NNN0LHI]

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/N24469.htm

WASHINGTON, Feb 24 (Reuters) - A U.S. soldier accused of shooting an Iraqi civilian last year and then trying to make it falsely appear like an act of self-defense will be tried in a military court on a murder charge, the Army said on Thursday.

Staff Sgt. Shane Werst, a 31-year-old combat engineer from El Toro, California, also has been charged with obstruction of justice. Werst faces up to life imprisonment without chance of parole if convicted, officials at Fort Hood in Texas said in a statement.

Maj. Gen. James Thurman, commander of the 4th Infantry Division, ordered a general court-martial following a pre-trial investigative hearing last month, according to the statement.

Werst was accused of fatally shooting Naser Ismail in the man's home in the Iraqi city of Balad in January 2004.

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[doodadem]

1. Yes but........

the guy that was actually caught ON VIDEO by an embedded reporter shooting a wounded/dying Iraqi in a mosque was let off for "lack of evidence", I heard on the radio yesterday. This is the video that was shown constantly on TV for weeks. How is this possible? What more evidence do they need?

[ckramer]

2. Victim of the Iraq War

[malachi]

3. Like he's the first GI to muder an Iraqi civilian. His mistake was in

trying to cover up the deed. I think if he admitted it, he'd have been in the clear. Just one of those unfortunate events that happen in clusterfucks like Iraq.