U.S. asks to exhume remains of Iraqi girl

[Barrett808]

U.S. asks to exhume remains of Iraqi girl
By RYAN LENZ, Associated Press Writer

TIKRIT, Iraq - U.S. investigators have asked Iraqi authorities to help them navigate cultural sensitivities to exhume the body of a teenager allegedly raped and murdered with her family by American soldiers, a military official said Saturday.

U.S. Maj. Mark Wright said U.S. authorities are aware that Islamic tradition has strict rules governing exhumation and could require religious leaders to become involved in the investigation.

"You want to be aware of these cultural issues while at the same time making sure that the accused receives proper justice," Wright, a spokesman for the U.S.-led coalition in Iraq, told The Associated Press.

Muslim tradition generally frowns on exhumations, considering them desecration of the remains.

However, Ahmed Taha, the uncle of the dead teen, told AP Thursday that relatives were eager to cooperate with investigators and would allow them to exhume the body of the alleged rape victim, Abeer Qassim Hamza. Her parents and sister were also slain.

(more)

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060708/ap_on_re_mi_ea/iraq_rape_investigation

[madaboutharry]

1. At least now she is identified as a teenager.

The truth drip out slowly these days.

[NVMojo]

2. and now they rape her memory ...

[uppityperson]

3. "teenager" is good, here's a picture of the brothers by the house

It would be good if the relatives would let this happen, pass past the rape stigma and let this happen.

[DoYouEverWonder]

4. The world needs to know the truth

I am glad the family will let them examine her body.

[w4rma]

5. Dealing with that problem, that we caused, is about the only thing they've

done half right over there, it would appear.

[Judi Lynn]

6. If I were a relative I'd want to tell them to go to hell.

They've given that family more "freedom" than they can handle. It's time for the _Bush war machine to leave these people in peace, hand off the financial aspects to a neutral organization to oversee repairing the country and take off.

My God. How can people get this ####ed up?

[timtom]

9. Precisely

what I proposed 3 or 4 years ago. Anything short of that is total BS!!

[KKKarl is an idiot]

7. Truth time

It is time the whole truth came out on this. Good to hear they are calling her a teenager.

[truthisfreedom]

8. i think we should be able to exhume Lay's remains to see exactly how he

died... but he's being cremated. how convenient.