Haditha killings 'unprovoked'
2006-05-31 22:03
Washington - A preliminary military
inquiry found evidence that US marines killed two dozen Iraqi
civilians in an unprovoked attack in November, contradicting
the troops' account, US officials said on Wednesday.
Forensic evidence from corpses showed that victims had
bullet wounds, despite the initial statements by marines that
the civilians were killed by a roadside bomb that also claimed
the life of a soldier, a defence official said.
"The forensics painted a different story than what the
marines had said," said the official, speaking on condition of
anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter.
The official said the bodies had wounds that would not have
been caused by an improvised explosive device.
President George W Bush said on Wednesday there would be
punishment if an investigation turns up evidence of wrongdoing
by marines in the killings in the Iraqi town of Haditha.
"I am troubled by the initial news stories," Bush said.
"I
am mindful there is a thorough investigation going on.
"If in
fact laws were broken, there will be punishment."
Residents of Haditha, an area that has seen much activity by Sunni Arab
insurgents, have told Reuters that marines attacked houses
and shot people after their patrol was hit by a roadside bomb.
It could be the worst known case of abuse by US soldiers
since the 2003 invasion and comes at a time when public opinion
polls show falling US public support for the war.
There are two investigations into the matter - a criminal
probe that might lead to murder charges against marines and
a probe into whether marines tried to cover up
the true nature of the incident, officials said.
Cash payments
The New York Times reported on Wednesday that the
investigation in February and March, led by Colonel Gregory Watt, uncovered death certificates
showing the Iraqis were shot mostly in the head and chest.
The three-week probe was the first official investigation
into the killings.
Watt's investigation also reviewed cash payments totalling
$38 000 made within weeks of the November shootings to
families of victims, The New York Times said.
In an interview with the newspaper on Tuesday, Major Dana
Hyatt said his superiors had told him to compensate the relatives
of 15 victims, but the other dead civilians had been determined
to have committed hostile acts, leaving their families
ineligible for compensation.
The US military sometimes pays compensation to relatives
of civilian victims.