Take no prisoners......literally.....
 

Navy SEALs Face Assault Charges for Capturing Most-Wanted Terrorist

Tuesday , November 24, 2009
By Rowan Scarborough



Navy SEALs have secretly captured one of the most wanted terrorists in Iraq — the alleged mastermind of the murder and mutilation of four Blackwater USA security guards in Fallujah in 2004. And three of the SEALs who captured him are now facing criminal charges, sources told FoxNews.com.

The three, all members of the Navy's elite commando unit, have refused non-judicial punishment — called an admiral's mast — and have requested a trial by court-martial.

Ahmed Hashim Abed, whom the military code-named "Objective Amber," told investigators he was punched by his captors — and he had the bloody lip to prove it.

Now, instead of being lauded for bringing to justice a high-value target, three of the SEAL commandos, all enlisted, face assault charges and have retained lawyers.

Matthew McCabe, a Special Operations Petty Officer Second Class (SO-2), is facing three charges: dereliction of performance of duty for willfully failing to safeguard a detainee, making a false official statement, and assault.

Petty Officer Jonathan Keefe, SO-2, is facing charges of dereliction of performance of duty and making a false official statement.

Petty Officer Julio Huertas, SO-1, faces those same charges and an additional charge of impediment of an investigation.

The three SEALs will be arraigned separately on Dec. 7. Another three SEALs — two officers and an enlisted sailor — have been identified by investigators as witnesses but have not been charged.

FoxNews.com obtained the official handwritten statement from one of the three witnesses given on Sept. 3, hours after Abed was captured and still being held at the SEAL base at Camp Baharia. He was later taken to a cell in the U.S.-operated Green Zone in Baghdad.

The SEAL told investigators he had showered after the mission, gone to the kitchen and then decided to look in on the detainee.

"I gave the detainee a glance over and then left," the SEAL wrote. "I did not notice anything wrong with the detainee and he appeared in good health."

Lt. Col. Holly Silkman, spokeswoman for the special operations component of U.S. Central Command, confirmed Tuesday to FoxNews.com that three SEALs have been charged in connection with the capture of a detainee. She said their court martial is scheduled for January.

United States Central Command declined to discuss the detainee, but a legal source told FoxNews.com that the detainee was turned over to Iraqi authorities, to whom he made the abuse complaints. He was then returned to American custody. The SEAL leader reported the charge up the chain of command, and an investigation ensued.

The source said intelligence briefings provided to the SEALs stated that "Objective Amber" planned the 2004 Fallujah ambush, and "they had been tracking this guy for some time."

The Fallujah atrocity came to symbolize the brutality of the enemy in Iraq and the degree to which a homegrown insurgency was extending its grip over Iraq.

The four Blackwater agents were transporting supplies for a catering company when they were ambushed and killed by gunfire and grenades. Insurgents burned the bodies and dragged them through the city. They hanged two of the bodies on a bridge over the Euphrates River for the world press to photograph.

Intelligence sources identified Abed as the ringleader, but he had evaded capture until September.

The military is sensitive to charges of detainee abuse highlighted in the Abu Ghraib prison scandal. The Navy charged four SEALs with abuse in 2004 in connection with detainee treatment.

Pathetic,
Roscoe

What is wrong with this country?

Liberalism. The pussification (sp) of America. :mad:

WAR:
1. To wage or carry on warfare.
2. To be in a state of hostility.


Much, much, too complicated for a liberal to comprehend. No one is getting a group hug or freebies at the taxpayers expense. Therefore, liberals have no concept of WAR!

Apparently conservatives have no concept of the Geneva Convention, the RULES of war.

Where do you draw the line? Assault is OK if the azzhole is a really really bad guy? Or, your just pissed off at him? Maybe they just should have shot him out right, wait, I think murder is off limits? Rape is OK, if she's over 18? The Abu Ghraib prison scandal is OK as long as you don't get caught? Kill 'em all and sort 'em later? Where do you draw the line?

They will get a fair trial. IF, as alleged, they made false statements, impeded the official investigation or assaulted the prisoner without reason following capture they violated the rules of war and the ethics of the military code of justice.

Ernie,

Since none of the terrorists even know what the Geneva Convention is let alone abide by it I don't feel they fall under its protection. Plus none of the other countries bother to mess with it either. It has long outlived its intended purpose.

But one lesson will be learned by this travesty. When they catch some terrorist or high ranking member of one of those groups, kill him then and bring the body in.

Ron %/

nothing wrong that can't be fixed.

Remember, conservative hayseeds were in charge for 8 years and everything they touched turned to sh*t. It will take a while to turn the economy around & wind down the needless wars.

Z. Ray

I think Ex is proving my point. A high value target responsible for the deaths of many American service members (and civilian contractors), as well as an enemy combatant, possibly gets punched in the mouth and a Lib is crying about it. First, the Geneva Convention does not apply to him and this is a joke to put our troops through a court martial for something trivial. Brutal things happen in war, but like a true lib who has no first hand experience they would rather talk about it in their unicorn and rainbows theoretical world.

A liberal is simply; " A conservative that hasn't been mugged yet."

If your point is the "rules of war" do not apply to the USA,,, But of course many radical conservatives do hold themselves above the law, common sense and decent ethical standards.

Trivial? Like you have inside information on what happened to this prisoner? Poor guy got his lip cut is all? Thats why there is an investigation, to find out what really happened. If it was as simple as you propose why would false statements need to be made? Why would the soldiers be compelled to cover up the facts? Perhaps the investigation would have found there is no need to do anything, case closed. But when an official investigation is blocked or hindered your asking for trouble.

Are these investigators, the military court, are these the "bleeding heart" liberals you speak off? I would hesitate to refer to our military officers and enlisted personel as "bleeding heart" Liberals chasing rainbows and unicorns. But feel free to call it as you see it. :)

The rules of war apply to all, equally. History shows a LOT of nations that ignored them, Japanese in WW2 come to mind. Many other examples. That is no reason for the USA to lower it's standards to those Nations who could care less. As Bush/Cheney did during their administration. We are better than that, have higher standards. I won't sleep with the pigs just because someone does and says it's OK.

you actually don't know what you are talking about.

US Liberals with first hand (war) experience:


George Washington
John Adams
Benjamin Franklin
Thomas Paine
Thomas Jefferson
Franklin D. Roosevelt
Theodore Roosevelt
Ulysses Grant
Abraham Lincoln
Andrew Jackson
James Madison
James Monroe
Sen Ted Kennedy
George McGovern ( WW II )
Sen. Jim Webb (Vietnam)
Sen. Chuck Robb (Vietnam)
Sen. Tom Harkins (Vietnam)
Senator Daniel Inouye ( WW II, awarded Congressional Medal of Honor)
Representative Jack Murtha
Representative Daniel K. Akaka (WW II )

and many others, past & present, including my own brother, now deceased, who was a Vietnam vet.

it's no coincidence that most of the returning Iraq vets who are running for Congress are running as Democrats.


Happy Thanksgiving

Z. Ray

Ted Kennedy? What...in submarines?

Joe Kennedy made sure he served in Europe during the Korean War.

looks like respecting those who served our country is no longer in style. sad.

Z.

Go play that martyr bullsh!t somewhere else, and start thinking about respecting those who are currently in harm's way instead of second guessing their every move in war zones.

Everyone has a short memory when it comes to SCUM BAGS like Murtha! That SOB should be in Leavenworth...

Haditha Marine prepares to sue Murtha over smear
Congressman had accused soldiers of killing 'in cold blood'

http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=67434

An investigation of possible violation(s) of rules of war is not disrespecting anybody. It's just a process that needs to be in place to make sure NO ONE is above the rule of law. It could be the local policeman, fireman, Congressman or foot soldier. If there is nothing there, there is no reason to block the investigation or alter the facts. Blocking and altering the facts of THIS investigation seem to be the fundamental problem. Those carrying out the investigation should be disparaged or ridiculed by calling them Liberals chasing rainbows and unicorns. THAT shows significant disrepect for soldiers in the field doing their job just like the solidiers in the field carrying a rifle. A clerk or a AG is just doing what the law says to do.

I disagree with the above list being liberals. A lot of the founders were small government people. Read some Thomas Jefferson sometime, he was definitely not a liberal. Read the Constitution and the limits it puts on the Federal government. The founders feared a Federal government that was too powerful.

I fought in Iraq in the Army, and I can tell you first hand there are not many libs in the military. I am a registered independent, and I don't trust either party. That said, the dems are taking us down a path right now that does not have a good ending. I think a viable third party would be great for the country. Will it ever happen? I don't know...

Except for the criminal.

Z - I agree that the political label one chooses to bestow upon himself has little to to with his viability as an effective warrior, but for the sake of credible debate pick your examples more carefully. The only time Sen. Ted was in harm's way while in the military was when he was off climbing the Matterhorn.