Hasan) AKBAR
Photo with article.
Posted on 04/12/2005 8:59:05 AM PDT by Dubya
FORT BRAGG, N.C. - An Army sergeant charged with a grenade attack that killed two U.S. officers in Kuwait went on trial Monday, with his lawyer trying to stave off a possible death sentence by arguing that his client was mentally ill.
But a military prosecutor said Sgt. Hasan Akbar knew exactly what he was doing, pointing to his detailed diary entries before the March 2003 attack and the fact that he stole the grenades and cut power to his camp just before striking.
Premeditation is the central issue in the court-martial of Akbar, 33, who confessed several times and allegedly told investigators that he carried out the attack in the opening days of the Iraq war because he was worried that U.S. forces would harm fellow Muslims.
His lawyers hope to spare him a possible death penalty for premeditated murder by arguing for a history of mental illness that stretches back to his teen years and was apparent to the military.
"The enemy was in Sergeant Akbar's mind and had been there 15 years," defense lawyer Maj. Dan Brookhart told the military jury in his opening statement.
Brookhart said that Akbar's mental illness stemmed from the sexual abuse of his sister by his stepfather and that as a teen-ager he was diagnosed with depression and an adjustment disorder. He also developed a sleep disorder and sometimes fell asleep while standing up. In the Army, Akbar's problems led to demotion from squad leader and menial duties in his combat-engineer company.
"He was basically a failure as a soldier," Brookhart said. He noted that as the 101st Airborne Division awaited orders to invade Iraq in spring 2003, Akbar was panicked by talk among his colleagues about their plans to kill Iraqis and rape women.
Military prosecutor Capt. John Benson countered that evidence indicates that Akbar planned extensively through his actions and diary entries.
Fourteen soldiers were wounded by the grenades or when Akbar opened fire with a rifle in the ensuing chaos.
....I hope that is not a recent picture, he should be stripped of all those medals!!!!!
This POS shouldn't be allowed to wear the uniform!!
I guess he'll lose his rank when he's convicted.
Hang on...I just rolled my eyes so far, I'm going to have to go find them.
Frikkin' IDIOT. /Napoleon
They wont have any trouble finding volunteers for this guys firing squad.
Hasan) AKBAR
Photo with article.
Semper Fi
Tremendous poem by Rudyard Kipling. I became aware of it through an amazing musical setting by the Autralian composer Percy Grainger.
And sung by that wonderful Australian bass (whose name has slipped my mind!)
Sometimes there is only one way to remove the stain from your unit.
He really did see things very clearly.
I got out in 2001; You in?
I'm outraged that he is wearing the uniform to the trial. Something is wrong with our "justice system" right there.
Two years and one month after the murders, the trial begins...
"Akbar" is the worst lowlife that ever blighted the earth. Anything less than the death penalty would be another nail in the coffin of America. I'm outraged that he wears the uniform to the trial, to reminisce (to the renewed pain of fallen heroes' family members and surviving soldiers) how he plotted and lay in wait to turn traitor and blow up two of the finest human beings to ever grace the earth.
Why is he allowed to wear the uniform?
Are little old ladies allowed to volunteer? Pick me! Pick me!
It's not "our" justice system, it's the military justice system he's being tried under....and you can probably consider that's a good thing; off the top of my head, I think I'd prefer a civilian trial over courts martial....it's a whole other world over there.
That's a given...Any fool who believes in the death cult of islam is mentally ill...
....me too, me too!
....wish I knew how to shoot a gun :(
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