Canadian sniper cleared of desecrating al-Qaeda body

National Post ^ | February 8, 2003 | Stewart Bell

[Clive]

A Canadian sniper up for the Bronze Star medal for his combat role in Afghanistan has been cleared of allegations he desecrated the body of a dead al-Qaeda fighter, the Defence Department said yesterday.

Military investigators lacked evidence for charges against Master Corporal Arron Perry and another Canadian, following allegations soldiers cut the finger off an enemy combatant and staged a "trophy" photo of the body.

The investigation also examined claims a soldier defecated on a second body. Master Cpl. Perry had been suspended pending the outcome of the probe, but was returned to duty yesterday in Edmonton.

"After a thorough investigation by the National Investigation Service, the evidence wasn't sufficient to support charges in that case," said Captain Mark Giles, a Department of National Defence public affairs officer.

Master Cpl. Perry, a member of Edmonton's 3rd Battalion, Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry, said he was relieved the investigation had concluded.

"I'm glad finally it's done," he said.

The sniper was part of a small group of Canadian soldiers who directly engaged the Taliban and al-Qaeda during a tour in Afghanistan. He has been credited with helping save soldiers from the 101st Airborne Division pinned down by enemy fire in Shah-i-Kot Valley.

The Canadians' sharp-shooting on al-Qaeda machine-gun nests and mortar positions were chronicled in Soldier of Fortune magazine. U.S. commanders have since recommended the snipers for Bronze Stars recognizing heroic or meritorious service.

But a few weeks after that triumph, Master Cpl. Perry was sent home under a cloud of suspicion. Allegations surfaced in mid-March that he had interfered with a body and there were reports of a photograph showing a dead enemy fighter with a cigarette in his mouth and a small sign on his chest reading "f--k terrorism."

But the investigation centred on claims a soldier had taken a finger from the body.

"The photos, while being perhaps inappropriate, that was not the main focus of the investigation. The main focus was the allegations of interfering with the dead body," Cpt. Giles said. "It's as much moral as it is legal. We always want dead bodies, whether they be enemy or friendly, to be treated with dignity."

Military investigators dug up the corpse and searched tents at the Canadian military base, seizing a knife. DNA tests were conducted to see if the knife could be tied to the body, but no link was established.

[Clive]

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[Republic of Texas]

Please. The guy should get a second medal for that.

[shadowman99]

Pooping on the guy isn't desecrating the body. That's perfume for a taliban solder.

He should've stuffed a nice ham sandwich in his mouth. He might get hungry waiting for his 72 white raisins.

[txradioguy]

Perfect example of what happens when you let the PC crowd run your military. A LOT of nasty things happen in combat. But from what I understand, the entire Canadian militry is down to just 55,000 right now anyway. After reading this, I can understand why.

[Cannoneer No. 4]

Readers of this may want to click here

[Van Jenerette]

"... whether they be enemy or friendly, to be treated with dignity...

The code of honor for most American soldiers includes a respect for the enemy who has the courage to fight him. Unfortunately this code is seldom understood by 'outsiders.'

Van Jenerette - Maj. US Army(ret)

http://www.jenerette.com

[donozark]

I am surprised they didn't go after him for putting a cigarette in the guy's mouth. After all, we all know how harmful smoking is to one's health...

[xJones]

Thanks, Van. Of course what the Afghanis did to live Russian POWs was unspeakable, but we are (and should be) held to a higher standard. There's a good reason why we shouldn't leave our wounded or dead behind in Middle Eastern countries. They don't just cut fingers off.

[Dick Vomer]

surprised they didn't go after him for putting a cigarette in the guy's mouth

That... is funny!!!

[PokeyJoe]

ditto what you said.

but I like SPAM instead of HAM for Taliban/Al Queda.

[Clive]

When you're wounded and left on Afghanistan's plains,
And the women come out to cut up what remains,
Jest roll to your rifle and blow out your brains
An' go to your Gawd like a soldier.

from "The Young British Soldier" by Rudyard kipling

[donozark]

And we know what the Chechin Muslims did/do to live Russians also, via the "Russian death video."

[M Kehoe]

I guess I would be in trouble if I were a Canadian soldier. I would have used fatback.

5.56mm

[Cruising Speed]

Check out Ogrish.com and the entries for 7/20, 7/3, 8/3, 6/25, and 8/26.

[Van Jenerette]

Good point...I don't fool myself for a minute about their lack of any code of honor, respect, etc. but, I feel it's critical for us never to let them become our teachers...
Van Jenerette -
US Army Infantry OCS Hall of Fame

http://www.ocshistory.com/hofdb/index2.htm

[Ecliptic]

Not sure whha you mean about respect for the enemy....when I was in we were taught and held the concept that anything we could do to get him to die for his country was fair game...being ruthless and unmercyless should be the mind set of a soldier...

I'm not saying I shot prisoners in the back.....but the way I always saw it was it was him or me.....and I'm still here...

[Byron_the_Aussie]

..we always want dead bodies, whether they be enemy or friendly, to be treated with dignity....

Well said, Capt. Giles!

It's that kind of code that separates us, from the enemy.

[FairOpinion]

"... whether they be enemy or friendly, to be treated with dignity...
The code of honor for most American soldiers includes a respect for the enemy who has the courage to fight him.
=====
How about the enemy who murders our civilians, men, women and children?!
That code of honor is meant, when fighting other soldiers, who happened to be fighting for the enemy, and we may have to kill them to win, but shouldn't dishonor them, because they fight for their cause honorably.

This hardly applies to a bunch of ragtag cowardly terrorists who exactly don't have the courage to fight us, that is why they are attacking our civilian population -- or did you forget, that right now, we are on high alert for terrorist attack.

Those terrorists deserve no respect dead or alive. If anything, their bodies should be wrapped in pigskin, and buried that way, -- and televised -- so according to their beliefs, they won't make it to their paradise. The reason they are in a hurry to die, is because they think that they will go to paradise. Maybe that would serve as a small discouragement.

This Canadian soldier was accused of "desecrating" the body of an Al Qaeda terrorist. To even bring those charges, is ludicrous. The soldier should be decorated, not brought up on charges for killing Al Qaeda. Maybe he should have fed the Al Qaeda body to the pigs. That wouldn't be excessive even.

Or have people forgotten our 3000 innocent civilians, murdered by Al Qaeda, who are plotting to kill many more thousands, even millions of us right now.