Members of U.S. platoon in Afghanistan accused of killing civilians for sport

[Liberty Belle]

Rogue soldiers in Afghanistan

A group of U.S. soldiers from a platoon in the 5th Stryker Combat Brigade is accused of targeting Afghan civilians for sport.

By Craig Whitlock

WASHINGTON POST
Saturday, September 18, 2010; 9:39 PM

For weeks, according to Army charging documents, rogue members of a platoon from the 5th Stryker Combat Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division, floated the idea. Then, one day last winter, a solitary Afghan man approached them in the village of La Mohammed Kalay. The "kill team" activated the plan.

One soldier created a ruse that they were under attack, tossing a fragmentary grenade on the ground. Then others opened fire.
According to charging documents, the unprovoked, fatal attack on Jan. 15 was the start of a months-long shooting spree against Afghan civilians that resulted in some of the grisliest allegations against American soldiers since the U.S. invasion in 2001. Members of the platoon have been charged with dismembering and photographing corpses, as well as hoarding a skull and other human bones.

Full story: http://newstrust.net/stories/3355037/toolbar?ref=nld&utm_campaign=daily_newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_source=20100919_listing


This is sickening -- according to the story, one soldier told his father, who tried desperately to get the military to listen to him, but they blew off the warnings that U.S. soldiers were plotting and committing murders.

[Junkdrawer]

1. The ring leader is 25 now...in theater since at least 2004...

...

According to statements given to investigators, members of the unit - 3rd Platoon, Bravo Company, 2nd Battalion, 1st Infantry Regiment - began talking about forming a "kill team" in December, shortly after the arrival of a new member, Staff Sgt. Calvin R. Gibbs, 25, of Billings, Mont.

Gibbs, whom some defendants have described as the ringleader, confided to his new mates that it had been easy for him to get away with "stuff" when he served in Iraq in 2004, according to the statements. It was his second tour in Afghanistan, having served there from January 2006 until May 2007.

...

Looks to me like this army is creating homicidal maniacs. Give the nature of wars of occupation, not surprising.

[WCGreen]

2. they truly have been to the Heart of Darkness....

[madrchsod]

3. just think...one of these guys could be someone`s neighbor...

[saigon68]

4. have been charged with dismembering and photographing corpses

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[jwirr]

5. And one of these days these good old boys are going to be walking

the streets in our nation - maybe even as police officers.

[Bobbieo]

6. They will plead PTSD!!!!

[Bobbieo]

7. Somewhere I read they used hashish and alcohol . Gee, and they are in

the land of "hashishians"! Does that word sound familiar?

[democrank]

8. Sick

[obxhead]

9. Winning hearts and minds one senseless murder at a time.

I hope these pigs rot in prison for the rest of their lives.

[JVS]

10. Can we have them tried for war crimes?

[obxhead]

11. Apparently murder isn't even being brought against them.

snip

According to charging documents, the unprovoked, fatal attack on Jan. 15 was the start of a months-long shooting spree against Afghan civilians that resulted in some of the grisliest allegations against American soldiers since the U.S. invasion in 2001. Members of the platoon have been charged with dismembering and photographing corpses, as well as hoarding a skull and other human bones

snip

Two more slayings would follow. Military documents allege that five members of the unit staged a total of three murders in Kandahar province between January and May. Seven other soldiers have been charged with crimes related to the case, including hashish use, attempts to impede the investigation and a retaliatory gang assault on a private who blew the whistle.

[pinboy3niner]

12. Five of the soldiers ARE charged with murder(s)

It's clearer in other press reports, like this one:

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/world/2010/09/19/2010-09-19_pretrial_hearings_loom_for_us_soldiers_accused_of_killing_afghan_civilians_for_s.html

[obxhead]

13. Thanks.

It wasn't in the linked article in the OP. I thought it odd they not be charged with murder over this. I figured those charges might still be pending though as they are still investigating for further charges.