Marine Cpl. Hassoun Charged with Desertion in Iraq

Reuters ^ | Dec 10 2004

[Leroy S. Mort]

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Marine Cpl. Wassef Ali Hassoun, who disappeared in Iraq in June and later turned up in Lebanon claiming he had been kidnapped by militants, was charged on Thursday with desertion, the Marine Corps said.

After a five-month investigation by the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, Hassoun "is alleged to have taken unauthorized leave of the unit where he served as an Arabic interpreter," the service said in a release from Camp Lejeune, North Carolina.

Hassoun was also charged with loss of government property and theft of a 9mm military pistol. The charges will now be considered by a yet-unnamed investigating officer to determine if Hassoun will be court-martialed.

Hassoun has not been arrested and will continue performing normal duties, said Marine Maj. Matt Morgan, a spokesman for the 4th Marine Expeditionary Brigade at Camp Lejeune.

Although desertion from the U.S. military in time of war could be punishable by death, Morgan said the corps "has no intention" of moving in that direction against the Lebanese-born Hassoun.

Hassoun disappeared from his base near Falluja in Iraq in June and turned up safe at the U.S. Embassy in Beirut on July 8. He was seen during his absence in a videotape, apparently being held by militants, blindfolded with a sword poised over his head.

An Islamic militant Internet site said later he had been beheaded, but he later showed up unharmed at the embassy in Beirut.

Morgan did not provide details of the case, but said that Marine Brig. Gen. Mastin Robeson, commander of the 4th MEB, did not intend to press the case in the direction of the death penalty, even if there is a trial.

Marine officials said the maximum penalty that Hassoun might face if tried and convicted on the desertion charge is up to five years in a military jail and reduction in rank to private.

Hassoun told reporters after he returned to the United States that he was captured and held against his will and did not desert the military. But naval investigators have been questioning Hassoun to determine if the abduction was a hoax.

[endthematrix]

So was there official confirmation of collusion with the enemy?

[ArmyTeach]

Fallujah - interesting in retrospect that the story revolves around Fallujah, that continuting hotbed of Muslim terrorism. Connection, anyone?

[ImphClinton]

There was a story about him during the battle. Found his Military ID there and his Uniform completely undamaged. Wondered if he gave it to them to use to kill GI's. If so I do hope he gets the Death Penalty.

[newzjunkey]

I was very relieved to hear about this on the radio tonight. I was afraid he'd get away with it and become a mole or suicide bomber. I've always been suspicious about this case and when his stuff turned up in Falluja and him turning up in Lebanon... it smelled like a Tijuana River sewage spill.

I'll donate for a firing squad upon conviction.

[daddyOwe]

Hassoun has not been arrested and will continue performing normal duties, said Marine Maj. Matt Morgan, a spokesman for the 4th Marine Expeditionary Brigade at Camp Lejeune.

Can you explain this? Why isn't he in jail?

[ImphClinton]

The case must not be strong enough. As I said all I know they have is his ID and Uniform in the enemies hands, but had the abducted him, they could have still gotten these without killing him.

Another possibility is they are recruiting him as a double agent. He could be very useful if we could control him. Then to he could be innocent and just escaped because he was Arabic and talked his way out of a very bad situation promising things he never intended on delivering or giving them information. That is not against UCMJ anymore. A persons life is generally worth more than any information they have now days.

[texasflower]

OMG, that thought never occurred to me. Or that he himself might have worn it to kill our soldiers.

That thought makes me sick.