Posted on 01/11/2010 2:22:47 PM PST by 444Flyer
RICHMOND, Va. - Two Navy SEALs accused in the mistreatment of an Iraqi detainee will be tried in a U.S. military court in Iraq.
A military judge at Naval Station Norfolk on Monday moved the courts-martial of Petty Officer 2nd Class Jonathan Keefe and Petty Officer 1st Class Julio Huertas to Camp Victory, site of the alleged abuse. The trials are set for April.
Keefe and Huertas are accused of trying to cover up after a third SEAL allegedly punched an Iraqi suspected in a 2004 ambush that killed four U.S. security contractors.
Prosecutors said they would not bring the detainee to Norfolk to testify. The judge ruled Keefe and Huertas have the right to face their accuser.
The three SEALs have received an outpouring of public support, including the backing of several members of Congress.
THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP's earlier story is below.
NORFOLK, Va. (AP) , A Navy SEAL accused in the mistreatment of an Iraqi detainee will be tried in a U.S. military court in Iraq.
A military judge in Virginia on Monday set the court-martial of Petty Officer 2nd Class Jonathan Keefe for April 6 at Camp Victory, site of the alleged abuse.
Keefe and another SEAL are accused of trying to cover up after a third SEAL allegedly punched an Iraqi suspected in a 2004 ambush that killed four U.S. security contractors.
Prosecutors said they would not bring the detainee to Norfolk to testify. The judge ruled Keefe has the right to face his accuser and moved his trial. Keefe is from Yorktown, Va.
The three SEALs have received an outpouring of public support, including the backing of several members of Congress.
Our Navy Seal Heros made a big mistake! They should have blown the scumbag Terrorist to HELL! into a Zillion little pieces! Where is this so-called Administration of Zero’s taking Us? The World is either crying or laughing at Us now, but they sure dont respect nor Faer America anymore........Pathetic!! and Obscene!!
They don’t want Citizens protesting in Norfolk. Somebody in the Navy should have their ass kicked.
Yup, should have killed the SOB. Problem solved.
I am hoping against hope that we have a military coup somewhere in the near future. When are we going to get rid of the political creeps and their hacks in the courts & make this a nation of honorable people again?
Isn't this what is called PC?
So, picture if you can, a courtroom in Iraq with one of our Navy SEALs sitting there on trial with his defense team. Being made to appear like a criminal for removing one of the most wanted terrorists in Iraq and putting him behind bars while the his own government who he bravely served and risked his life for in the line of duty attempts to make him out as an abuser of some sort. ~THIS IS COMPLETELY NUTS!~
Is the prosecution planning on bringing in this Jidadist murderer who participated in the maiming and butchering of those American contractors and allowing him on the stand? The contractors who had what remained of their bodies once this animal and his fellow terrorists were done with them burned and hung for all to see?! Does the prosecution actually plan to bring him in and try to make him appear like a ‘victim’?!!!
Maybe the reason they are having it in Iraq is because the terrorist will receive sympathy there as friggin’ sick as that is! WT!!!
If this doesn’t border on ‘Aiding and abetting the enemy’ by the government stooges leveling accusations at our SEALs, I don’t know what does.
The SEALs' accuser is a terrorist undergoing trial in Iraq.
(1) The SEALs want to cross-examine the detainee who is their accuser, as is their right.
(2) The prosecution does not want to bring the detainee onto US soil, because that would jeopardize their action against him, since the instant he's on US soil, he could claim the protection of US law.
(3) By holding the court-martial in Iraq, the SEALs are still going to be tried under US military law, but will now get a chance to impeach the terrorist's testimony.
Ping.
Oh well said, I hadn’t thought of it like that, thanks!
Talk about lambs to the slaughter...
Wonder how long before a guilty on all charges verdict is handed down just to keep raghead riots from starting?
IMO - This was precisely the reaction the prosecutors were hoping for by not bringing the detainee to Norfolk, to get this railroad job out from under the noses of the American people.
Out of sight, out of mind.
And you're right, out of site out of mind. They are already trying to sweep this fiasco under the rug rather than just make it right and drop any and all charges against these SEALs.
So the government will have to pay to bring 60 people over to Baghdad to keep the terrorist there!?! To what lengths do we go to protect these scumbags?
!!!
I think another poster was right - they don’t want it held in here in the US because of how many people will show up in support of our soldiers. These are our soldiers and we are trying them for a punch. What an insult.
I'm not so sure. If I'm the defense, and my military jury pool is coming from the local population of officers and enlisted... getting a pool of combat hardened troops, in country, to pick from is more advantage to my side than the other.
I think these guys will be aquitted. That's why they opted for the full-boat Court Martial instead of a Captain's Mast, which they turned down. At least I hope so.
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