Army: 12 soldiers killed Afghans, mutiliated corpses
WASHINGTON - Twelve U.S. soldiers face a variety of charges in what military authorities believe was a conspiracy to murder Afghan civilians and cover it up, along with charges they used hashish, mutilated corpses and kept grisly souvenirs.
Five soldiers face murder charges, while seven others are charged with participating in a coverup. All of the men were members of a 2nd Infantry Division brigade operating near Kandahar in southern Afghanistan in 2009 and 2010.
According to the military documents, Staff Sgt. Calvin Gibbs and four other soldiers were involved in throwing grenades at civilians and then shooting them in separate incidents. Three Afghan men died.
Authorities allege Gibbs kept finger bones, leg bones and a tooth from Afghan corpses. Another soldier, Spc. Michael Gagnon II, allegedly kept a skull from a corpse, according to charging documents. Several soldiers are charged with taking pictures of the corpses, and one - Spc. Corey Moore - with stabbing a corpse.
Staff Sgt. Robert Stevens is charged with lying to investigators about the deaths, saying the civilians posed a threat.
Other soldiers are charged with assaulting Afghan civilians by shooting at them, and several soldiers face charges of failing to properly account for and dispose of weapons.
Eight of the soldiers also are charged with using hashish and beating a junior soldier in an attempt to stop him from reporting them for misconduct, including hashish use.
Gibbs is also charged with telling another soldier to lie about the incidents including the platoon's involvement in illegal drug use. He is alleged to have told Spc. Adam Winfield, "I'm going to send you home by dropping a tow bar on you," if Winfield revealed information to investigators.
Winfield is also charged with murder and conspiracy to commit murder in this case.
Five soldiers were originally arrested in June and seven others were charged last month. The documents released by the Army this week are the most detailed disclosure of what the men are alleged to have done.
The five facing murder charges are Gibbs, of Billings, Montana; Pfc. Andrew Holmes of Boise, Idaho; Winfield, of Cape Coral, Florida; Spc. Michael Wagnon, of Las Vegas, Nevada; and Spc. Jeremy Morlock of Wasilla, Alaska. The five are from the 5th Stryker Brigade.
Holmes is accused of killing Afghan civilian Gul Mudin in January with a grenade and rifle. Winfield is accused of killing civilian Mullah Adahdad in May in a similar manner, and Wagnon is accused of shooting to death Marach Agha in February. Morlock and Gibbs each were charged with three counts of murder and one count of assault involving the same victims as in the cases against Holmes, Wagnon and Winfield.
Stevens and Pfc. Ashton Moore are charged with conspiracy to commit aggravated assault with a dangerous weapon, and Sgt. Darren Jones is charged with conspiracy to commit assault and battery and conspiracy to commit aggravated assault with a dangerous weapon.
Cpl. Emmitt R. Quintal, Staff Sgt. David Bram, Spc. Adam Kelly and Spc. Corey Moore are charged with conspiracy to commit assault and battery.
Stevens is charged with wrongfully and wantonly engaging in conduct likely to cause death or bodily harm to other soldiers, and Jones, Quintal, Bram, Kelley and Corey Moore are charged with unlawfully striking another
soldier.
A child born with one eye
OUR CHILDREN WOULD BE BORN THIS WAY FOR EVER THANKS TO THE URANIUM MUNITIONS USED BY YOUR ARMED FORCES PAID FOR BY YOUR TAX DOLLARS.
OH A FEW MINOR DETAILS ABOUT SITUATIONS IN AFGHANISTAN:
URANIUM MUNITIONS
Due to the use of massive amount of uranium munitions used by the US forces in the initial bombing and subsequently, massive amount of congenital deformities occur all over Afghanistan. The rate of various cancers has gone up significantly. Leukemia and esophageal cancers are very high among children. According to doctors at maternity and children hospitals in Kabul, the rate of various congenital deformities have increased by many folds since the US invasion. In fact, the magnitude of man made isotopes was established by the Uranium Medical Research Center after their investigators made to trips to Afghanistan and collected urine and soil samples. They established that the rate of man made isotopes was gone up 2000 times in some subjects located near the bombed areas.
Since uranium used in the weapons have a half-life of 4.5 billion years, the US forces ensured that generations of Afghans suffer from cancers and deformities. This is certainly not development. In fact, it is the biggest crime ever committed by anyone in the history of humanity.
War has the psychology of buying a Lotto ticket, everyone thinks they are going to win; when you are sent to war you think you are not going to lose (be killed, it will be someone else) Just the opposite of purchasing a Lotto ticket……….. Millions have believed this lie and have drawn the short straw………. They are no longer with us………….. As they are known as “The War Dead”…………….. million and millions of them…………..
I get a kick out of you armchair soldiers; one week on a rifle line and you would be begging to get off of it…….. Or maybe you would shoot yourself in the foot or hand like I saw others do to get off the line………. Talk is cheap, wait till you face the muzzle of an enemy rifle then talk ……………………. America will lose the war in Afghanistan you don’t have to be a Tarot card reader to foretell that…………….
I had a stepfather who served in WWII in the south pacific, he would sit for hours starring off into infinity for hours on end……… he had been driven mad by war……. If you don’t think that war can’t get to you, you are completely wrong! The truth is no one can stand it day after day after day……….. War has broken more men than it ever made……… You fools think that the enemy does not have expert marksmen? Go and see for yourself……………….
I served in Vietnam in 1969 and it was full of murders both civilian and military……. The troops turn on each other in War and start murdering each other…….. I estimate 10% of all battlefield deaths are murder’s by soldiers killing each other for imagined slights etc……………. I saw it with my own eyes…………….
The World biggest lie: American Freedom, you are free to sleep under any bridge you chose to………………..
The Holy Quran says, “Beware of the fire that burns stones and men.” And the Christian Bible says, “A murders conscious will drive them to hell, let it.” The Chinese say, “You take a life; you pay with your life.” Bring these murders to Justice……………. Hang them……………… for all to see…………..
During WWII in England the U.S. Army hanged over 40 American soldiers for crimes committed there. Where is the UCMJ now? These men should go to the gallows for what they have done…………. Murder is murder no matter where it takes place. What do you think the Muslim riflemen think when they read things like this? These actions will only stiffen resistance and drive America out of Afghanistan……… Maybe we are the enemy?
ITS WAR THE REAL INFIDALS WOULD DO THE SAME TO OUR SOLDIERS IF THE COULD HATS OFF TO OUR TROOPS KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK
This is what happens when you put guys who are between the ages of 19-25 in a crazy war....
War criminalises the social, economic, political and spiritual fabric of society on both sides of the conflict. Trophysim and scalp collecting is the norm for people traumatised by a level of violence for which their family life has not prepared them. The severe psychological dichotomy between experiencing life as a family member and destroying other families with whom they subconsciously identify requires compensatory behaviour that is both morbid and yet cherishing. The retention of bones is self preserving, murderers find solace in keeping.the body parts of those they murder as a way of over compensating for their guilt.
War makes monsters out of ordinary guys. And the war profiteers and weapons manufacturers are the ones who will stand before Jesus Christ at the end of time and wonder why they are numbered with the soldiers who spat and mocked the LORD of HEAVEN.
everyone is saying how bad this is, i agree, but im going to be the one that points out that u spelt mutilated wrong.... its still bad thoung...
The tours for Us soldiers in Afghanistan usually lasts for 14 months and then a short year break and then back for another 14 months.. my husband which is one of these soldiers who has made his time in Afghanistan came back demented and no value of life for anything.... I dont use this as an excuse but they need to serve shorter tours because just because they left Afghanistan doesn't mean the war stopped in their mind ... A mental screening should also be required after a certain amount of time served. Its ridiculous it really is they are making empty cores out of our sons, husbands, and dads.The army does nothing to help believe me I have tried, seems im the only one helping him
Your statements are true, once the Army is done with you, they throw you away like a used condom.............
Yiii! And they worry about gays in the military. Murderers and torturers and sicko wacko hash smokers are fine, though.
Line'em up and gun'em down, they're no better then the terrorist.
The liberal media made them do it.
CNN, Can you please tell me why my comments were not posted?
*scott*
I am a scot and we were not bred out.
As a united nations worker this is appaling. The behaviour of these soldiers is a crime.They have broken international human rights laws and broken geneva conventions. They must be tried according to the law.
Saying that it MUST also be said that these soldiers are not the face of the US military. They are a minority. This whole world must work together to stop this lunacy before we destroy ourselves.
Do we really know the entire story here. Certainly there are aspects to this that are troubling. Anyone that served on the ground in Vietnam understands some of this, in the day time they were farmers, at night they wore black and killed Americans. Were this people of like behavior, just saying. Until the complete story is out it is best to withhold judgment.
Thank you for your service, anyone who has done so by volunteering. Only the 5/2 from JBLM was in Afghanistan. My son just returned from his second tour in Diyala, '07 and '09. The same age as these guys, I don't believe he would ever participate in these types of acts. Most of 5/2 was on their first deployment, so do not give them an easy out. They suffered heavily in the first months but these acts were still of choice. They should be held accountable under the UCMJ as the adults that they are now. God Bless America. Never Forget.
Prave jsem se pomocil a pokalel.
Give those brave soldiers medals for cleaning up the trash. Let's do them all. Let's do the whole f–king village.
I find it amusing how stupid some are that support what these i wont even call the soldiers did. No matter if they were civilians or Talibani soldiers with bombs strapped around there waist you dont start chopping of parts of there bodies and keeping it for souvenirs. Its in humane and just sick.
TERRORISTS
Stuff happens.
Most seem to think the people killed and mutilated are Taliban, they are not, they are innocent Afghan CIVILIANS not 'the enemy'. Man some people are stupid.
Off the topic, but, how can you misspell "Mutilated" in the headline! Get it together Time!
I am now scared of Americans.
This is how the USA works now. We have given the green light to treat people like this in war. By not going after our own criminals like Bush officials for torture we have opened the gate to this kind of behavior. The US now practices assassination with drones. We use depleted uranium ammunition in war. Its sad to say but the country I love has been turned into the military arm for big biz. Its all about the money and has nothing to do with liberation. We need massive strikes and rallies to end this evil in our mist.
And in our midst, too!
well know one can speak on it till there over there fighting, you dont know what they go through mentally when are soldiers are over there, and im sure one point they where mentally normal like me and you that have never been to war before, im not saying what they did is right because by all means its wrong and if i was the family memebers of the deceased i would not be happy, but its war, and thats what happends and its sad,
This is what you get when you have to hire known Felons to fight your "Wars"!!! It's like the Romans hiring Barbarians to protect Rome just before Rome fell!!! All the good Roman legions were off fighting on the borders!! That's all they had left!!! Sound familiar!!!
Poor and working people in this country, are send to kill poor and working people in another country, to make the rich richer; and without racism, soldiers would realize that they have more in common with the Iraqi people, than they do with the billionaires who send us to war – A US Soldier
Were they collecting ears?
Whoever lives by the sword, dies by the sword. Matthew 26:52
Love your enemies and do GOOD to those who hate you. Matthew 5:44
For though we walk in the flesh, we DO NOT WAR according to the FLESH. 2 Cor 10:3
((WAR IS OF SATAN, ALL OF IT, INCLUDING "FIGHTING FOR OUR FREEDOM"))
Well, I guess we know who the real Terrorist are now. And you guys think Al Qaida and the Taliban are the bad guys. Stop calling the Muslims terrorist. The US Army is full of Terrorist.
For all of you trying to justify the crimes committed by these demons, shows you to are capable of doing a such, and even beating up your own compatriot for cover up.
Good bless the one who denounce these crimes, so others soldier can learn from it. And don’t think that killing innocent civilian in others countries is like getting a free candy, and that you will get way with murder.
I hope justice is served and for those who commit crimes in other countries can rat in prison.
You just have to wonder how common this sort of thing is with a "theater commander" like Mattis who openly hates Muslims and jokes about how much fun it is to shoot and murder people. Foot soldiers act and behave from the examples set by superiors. What example does promoting a deranged sick man like Mattis set for the troops in Afghanistan?
In every war Americans excelled in abuse and cruelty – why because it's encouraged and most of the time simply swept under the carpet of their probaganda.
I blame Obama.
The behavior is inexcusable, but how about some compassion for those that serve instead of lamely pulling out the draft card. People in the military are not the warmongers by any stretch. They serve for economic, eductional and patriotic reasons. Do you think generals and CO's enjoy sending young men out to die and be maimed? They go where they are told and do the bidding of politicians who we have seen fit to elect. If a president has a grudge or a political agenda and he demands they go to Iraq and fight. They dutifully suit up and do as they're told, no questions. If a second president comes in and says that war, that killed/wounded so many of their own, is not the real war and sends them to Afghanistan to prove that he is not weak on defense, they again suit up and do as they're told. Ultimately, we as voters have only ourselves to blame for placing these men in harms way. At some point, you have to admit when a goal is unattainable. Peace, pacification, integration into the world community is not possible at this time for Aghans, Pakistanis, Iraqis and "insert any Muslim theocracy here" and we should stop pretending it is. Leave these countries to their own inherent dysfunctions. As the rest of the world progresses, they will be left behind in their own stench of hate and intolerance. It is only then, when the rest of the world has moved so far beyond them, that they will realize the weaknesses inherent in their ideologies of subjugation. Until that day, we isolate them, we contain them, we protect ourselves from them, but like a drug addict whose not ready to quit, we can't help them. It's time to bring the military home.
Without conscription you have the bottom of the barrel in uniform .
lets not mention the 3.5T dollars in mineral reserves found in Afghanistan.
Just another way for the military and government officials to place blame for missions gone wrong. It's quite strange that these charges came forth a few months ago, nearly right after the Unit departed OEF. In other OIF cases, it's taken months and years to Charge US Army / US Marine Service Members (odd, isn't it?). Many things happen, fog of war, but not to this extent. I was out at Ramrod with these men and working in vicinity to their location. It didn't happen, but the Enlisted man always seems to take the fall for the Brass.
Just another example of some of our brave troops. The military has it's share of thugs. Those convicted of murder should be given the death penalty and the rest not less than 30 years hard labor.
Could this be some of the reason why some in the Muslim world finds it very hard to like the US. The US lost its moral high ground a long time ago and it sadly believes it can bomb its way back.
Could it be that you (US and coalition Forces) have hundreds of thousands of soldiers occupying Muslim lands, some of which they consider holy. Could it be that you have a long tract history of interfering with the affairs of sovereign Muslim nations, propping up your own puppet governments? Could it be that you have unmanned drones crossing over into sovereign Pakistan without Pakistani or US congressional approval, resulting in the death of women and children you simply consider “collateral damage”. Could it be that you have soldiers raping young girls, then murdering entire families to cover it up? Could it be the torture of innocent people in secret Prison camps,or the public book burnings of the Quran
Could it be that you have soldiers tossing grenades at the feet of civilians for fun, killing them for sport, and collecting fingers for their entertainment.
Could be......
well its clear,
AMERICAN SOLDIERS ARE MORE THAN A TERRORISTS,
and heavier punishments should have been given to them.
as terrorist are also only killing inocents, and are accountable for. and those who are acting to have joined a force for peace and justic do the same, should be punished a generations remebering one, so other shouldnt do the same while they are in a goodwell mission
It is very sad when these sort of things happen. But to attack the entire US Armed Forces because of it is not honest or fair. It is for the Courts to judge these men not us. We should pray for all those in Afghanistan, that their hearts will be softened so that peace can have a place in their lives permanently. How much of the worlds effort is wasted in destroying that which it takes so much to build. Every man woman and child on this planet could have a decent standard of living if we would stop the destruction. We are all responsible to some degree for the way things are in hte world, so stop pointing your finger at someone else, and take a look at the man in the mirror.
I wonder how long the Afghan people have to tolerate this murdurous army occupying their land .Sheer presence of them in Afgahnistan can justfy the whole terror attacks in the world. They are no less than Taliban or Al quida . Hamid Karzai have to save his world by denouncing this dark force
USArmy is really a group of bandits taking drugs and killing unmarmed citizens.What a country...
What do you expect? It is not like we send our educated and elite into combat. These military men are uneducated simpletons who are basically brainwashed into being killing machines. You have the same type of individuals who have yet to graduate from High School, collecting skulls, torturing animals and dressing in black listening to Ozzy Osbourne and the alike. They too, will join our military ranks and make us proud.. Semper Fi, kill the guy, take his eye.. Hooo Rah!Hooo Rah!Hooo Rah!
This was something I was terrified could happen to my Husband while in Iraq. These Soldiers should be ashamed and should be punished for the horrible acts they committed. There is no excuse for this.
This is sick but not new. Unfortunately, this probably happens often and unreported. Hopefully this doesn't vilify all US soldiers. How do you remain civil during war? I can't imagine it. I'm not justifying these soldiers actions but I do feel sorry they are put in this situation. These men need to have severe and just consequences but people need to remember that war can make people snap and turn into monsters. Good people become monsters under this kind of stress.
its time to give the name ""modern terrorist army" for the us army, they broke all world records in the 21st in killing civilians and torturing them.
By burning Qurans, banning Mosques, killing and mutilating Afghan Muslim Civilians, and other hate....you will get fear, loathing, hate, and violence in return? Do you understand that if the Muslims in the world 1.8-2.2 billion and growing...if they ever really wanted to harm you, they could and not only that, but they would win? Do you know how much 99.999% of Muslims worldwide are holding back to respond to these baby killers, quran burners, mosque banners, carpet bombers, cluster bombers, etc.? Have you ever seen the movie 'Kingdom of Heaven"? At least learn from history...
Not good for the USA.
Yes, punish these men after military trials. However, after those, investigate how this could happen. What makes previously law abiding people do this? I assume it is stress from being in combat as well as group psychology. Take one or two senior officers who have lost sight of right and wrong. Then, put them in a dominant role over a bunch of young impressionable guys who want to be members of the group, and you have a recipe for disaster. By the time they are sent overseas to fight, the individual has been taken out of the recruits. They learn to think as a group and do what the commanding officer wants. Right and wrong can become very blurred. The trials should be interesting.
I asked the question above under my reponse....How many tours have they done? after 8 years of war people start to crack and get a blood lust for killing. An article reported today that the guy who started the "Kill Team" began in Iraq. That's more than 2 tours. Same thing was happening in Veitnam after 2 tours, killing for the fun of it.
AMERICAN PRIDE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!111
Don't make excuses for these sociopaths! Its unreal how scared we are to call a spade a spade. These actions are not routine over here by any means. These guys should go to jail for a long time. You still know right from wrong when fighting a war. And these events do not make the war illegitimate. These are bad actors using war as a cover for their criminal intents.
As an Afghan I want America along with all of Nato to cease all aggression against Afghans and get out. Didn't you learn that in Vietnam?
we happen to know about these mass murderers thanks to cnn, cbs and other brave reporters who are the true heros unmasking these killers. Imagine about the ones we don't know... I bet thousands of american soldiers are perpetrating these type of acts daily and we will never hear about it.
HOW ABOUT THEIR COMMANDING OFICERS???? THEY ARE TOTALY RESPONSIBLE FOR THEIR SUBORDINATES ACTIONS. THE MILITARY AS USUAL COVERING FOR OFICERS INCOMPETENCE.
These men who have been accused of committing these terrible crimes are just a few men they in NO way represent the honourable men an women serving in Afghanstan under the US or for that matter NATO. There are thousands of men and women who are representing the US world wide and are doing a great job. We should concentrate our thoughts on them. I am a former Canadian military member and we had a group of bad soliders committ terrible crimes in Somalia not all our men and women were bad who served there just as not all the US and NATO troops are bad in Afghanstan. However that being said these men deserve their day in "court" allow the Military time to take them to court and see what punishment they will receive. Also my thanks goes out to all the Americans as well as all the NATO troops who are putting their lives on the line for my freedom and safety.
YOU HAVE WRITTEN IT WELL. TERRI
support the troops my a@$........I am sure this is a common occurance with our military..
The saddest aspect of this is seeing other Americans defending the murder of civilians as somehow ok because of the fog of war or 911. There is never ANY excuse for killing civilians, it is ALWAYS wrong and all it really does is make the population hate us even more.
PERSONALLY I SAY ALL'S FAIR IN WAR, THESE PEOPLE DID'NT MIND KILLING AMERICAN SOLDIERS AND ANY OTHER PERSON WHO GOT IN THEIR WAY INCLUDING BEHEADING FOLKS. SCREW BEING MORALLY RESPONSIBLE, NICE GUYS FINISH LAST...
u moron...are u saying that every afghan is the enemy? u're either too young/naive/ignorant or have learning difficulties to understand counter-insurgency and rules of engagement. go read a book and take your ritalin for the day.
The human mind was not meant to be in constant combat. The current volunteer army that gets ongoing tours of combat is producing casualties that are not being counted as the mentally ill among them increases over time. We need some kind of draft to make sure that all society contributes to the army.