CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. – U.S. Naval Criminal Investigative Service agents are investigating allegations that a Marine company killed as many as eight unarmed Iraqi prisoners of war during the battle of Fallujah in November 2004, according to civilian and military sources.
The investigation is at least the third into possible war crimes by Marines based here and involves the same company, Kilo Company, 3rd battalion, 1st regiment, that is at the center of the largest allegation of atrocities by U.S. troops in Iraq – the alleged wrongful killing of 24 civilians in Haditha on Nov. 19, 2005.
Military journalist Nathaniel Helms, who wrote a book about the Marines in Fallujah and is among those interviewed by NCIS, said Marines captured insurgents during house-to-house fighting. After subduing the insurgents and reporting back to their superiors, Marines were told to quickly move to another location to help Marines engaged in a firefight.
Helms said Wednesday that when the Marines radioed to their superiors that they were still holding prisoners, the response was, “They’re still alive?”
“That was taken to mean, ‘Whack those dudes.’ So they whacked them and moved on,” Helms said. Minutes later an airstrike demolished the house, burying the bodies in rubble, he said.
Connecticut: Van rolls in pond; 3 die
A woman who got out of her minivan to ask directions chased the vehicle as it rolled down a steep hill in Bridgeport, then jumped in before it sank into a pond Wednesday, killing her and two children inside, authorities said. The victims were trapped inside in 15 to 20 feet of water at Bunnell’s Pond for 20 to 25 minutes before members of the Bridgeport police scuba team were able to pull them out.
D.C.: Evacuation before fireworks
Severe weather brought a tornado warning to Washington’s suburbs Wednesday, prompting authorities to evacuate the thousands of people gathered at the National Mall for holiday festivities. Authorities reopened the Mall roughly a couple of hours later after the National Weather Service issued the all-clear.
Oklahoma: Flooding starts to ease
Flooding slowly subsided Wednesday in several northeastern Oklahoma communities but meteorologists predicted more problems because lakes and reservoirs were already filled to capacity. Water also was ebbing in southeastern Kansas, but more rain fell Wednesday on hard-hit Texas.
Illinois: No rodeo cruelty charges
Springfield authorities say no charges have been filed in an investigation into alleged cruelty to bulls at the 2006 National High School Finals Rodeo at the Illinois State Fairgrounds. Animal rights activists had turned over video and photographs that showed riding bulls being poked with sharp objects, shocked, slapped and having their tails pulled during the competition held in July 2006. But authorities say they haven’t been able to identify anyone linked to the alleged cruelty, including a man shown on the video jabbing bulls.
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