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.

[VaBthang4]

Once again....you're welcome.

[Byron_the_Aussie]

..yes....

Thanks.

No wonder you're standing up for Perry. You're as much a disgrace to the Corps, as he is to the Canadian Army.

Honor requires each Marine to exemplify the ultimate standard in ethical and moral conduct... Courage is moral strength, the will to heed the inner voice of conscience, the will to do what is right regardless of the conduct of others. It is mental discipline, an adherence to a higher standard. Courage means willingness to take a stand for what is right in spite of adverse consequences.

[Byron_the_Aussie]

..he said he was not troubled by the photograph, which was published in the March edition of Soldier of Fortune. "I think it's good. I think all Canadians should see it and see what they think...

Got a copy of the pic, Rat?

You sound like a guy who'd have a few old SoFs stashed, next to the can. :)

[VaBthang4]

LOL!!!

You've been holding out for that? Hahaha....you poor tortured soul.

[VaBthang4]

"You sound like a guy who'd have a few old SoFs stashed, next to the can."

As opposed to "Women's World".

LOL

[semaj]

"Honoring terrorist enemies doesn't have a lot of survival value, in my opinion."

The soldiers sole purpose:

• Seek out and destroy the enemy.
• Engage the enemy until he is destroyed.
• Demoralize the enemy by killing him.
• Until he flees from the battlefield, destroy the enemy.

No purpose is served by wasting time toying with the empty husk of the enemy, except perhaps to be brought down to his sub-human level.

[mosby]

You're a complete sleazebag. No evidence that Perry did anything you're accusing him of doing. Produce your evidence that PERRY did what you said he did. I'm waiting, jackass.

[Byron_the_Aussie]

..you've been holding out for that? Hahaha....

Glad you find the Marine code of conduct so amusing, 'Marine.'

[Snowyman]

I saw the pic. Dead guy, laying on his back amongst some rocks, cigarette in his mouth, I think sunglasses too but I could be wrong.

It's proven if you aquire a reputation for mutilating all you do is give the enemy more resolve to kill you. And less inclination to surrender.

I also remember the pics from the Somalia incident that was mentioned. They were disturbing.

[Byron_the_Aussie]

Investigators were told that at some time during the evening, Perry returned to the group with a finger from one of the bodies. "He had it in a Baggie - a Ziploc Baggie - and held it up in front of the guys," said one soldier, who spoke on condition of anonymity. The snipers, said the soldier, had joked with some American troops before they were deployed that the Canadians would bring them back a souvenir. "It was all on the pretense that (Perry) was bringing it back as a joke," said the soldier, who was questioned by military officials conducting the investigation. "It crossed a lot of moral boundaries." Investigators were also told Perry bragged that he had defecated on the body of another al-Qaida fighter whose head had been blown off during the fighting. A military source who spoke with the men who were present that night said they were disturbed by what they saw. "They were just grossed out by the thing." Perry admitted there was some joking with American soldiers about the headless body, but he vehemently denied doing anything to the corpse. "There was a joke about it," he said.

[donozark]

Me-guilty of "thread creep?" Byron, my old friend, you are the one that posted the pic of the Talibunnies to me. I merely pointed out the care we provide for these savages. So unlike what they have/would provide for us.

You seem to be off the reservation of late, Byron. I wonder, have you ingested too much smoke from all the fires "downunder?"

A few months ago you thought it foolish for US to go into Iraq as the perpetrators of 9-11 had been "punished." Then came Bali. Now you claim the perps have all been caught and punsihed. Sorry, ain't that simple Byron. The war continues. No end in sight. Simply because one cell in Indonesia, England, or Germany gets eliminated does not mean it is over. Only that one particular "unit" has been eliminated. Many battles yet to be fought.

My mention of claimed "exigencies" of Aussies at the Battle of Long Tan brought no rise from you. I assume you accept the fact that soldiers of all wars have been, and will be accused of "war crimes" by the uninitiated.

In post-Vietnam War America, the left held the "Winter Soldier Hearings." Bogus. Trumped up lies. Most of the "soldiers" who testified have been shown not to have been soldiers or non-combatants at best. The left in Canada is very powerful. Looks like they were and are waiting for a chance to pounce on their soldiers...

[Aura Of The Blade]

MCpl Perry was cleared of all charges. Case closed.

[mosby]

Why did you only post those parts of the article that suited you, sleazebag? How come you didn't post this:

"The NIS did investigate this one very thoroughly. They take these sorts of allegations very seriously. There wasn't deemed to be adequate evidence to proceed with charges. At this point, the case is concluded."

Or this:

Perry acknowledged in an interview that he was the focus of the probe but has denied all of the allegations "100 per cent."
"These allegations were false from the beginning. A 10-month investigation went on and they are still false."

Or this:
Giles said investigators had just two hours on the site. They collected DNA and took photographs.
A week later, Perry's tent at the battle group's base in Kandahar was searched and a knife, a pocket tool and other objects were seized. Giles said they didn't link DNA from the seized items with the dead men.
"The NIS took this seriously and believed there to have been a likelihood that an offence had occurred," said Giles. "But during that time frame there were as many as 100 Canadian and American soldiers that passed by.

Or this:
Another soldier who was present during the time of the alleged incident supported Perry's version of events.
"Nobody took any parts off of anyone," said the soldier, who was also questioned by investigators

[Byron_the_Aussie]

..why did you only post those parts of the article that suited you, sleazebag?...

You asked for evidence, so I posted the part that showed the evidence. You're obviously going to click on the link and try to clutter up your original demand, but the onus is now on you to acknowledge there is lot of evidence against Perry.

[Byron_the_Aussie]

...you seem to be off the reservation of late, Byron. I wonder, have you ingested too much smoke from all the fires "downunder?"...

I'm still the same ol' Byron, my friend. I question authority, when necessary. I idealise the Constitution and the Founding Fathers, and hold a romantic view of what used to be called 'the American Way.' I try to work those principles into the way I comport myself. It is FR, which has become harder-edged, and hateful. Not me. And I take comfort, from the way we've often had these pendulum swings here, and the knowledge that a correction's already underway. Basic commonsense and fair play will reassert themselves as the madness steadily passes. All the best, By.

[Aura Of The Blade]

It is FR, which has become harder edge, and hateful Nothing wrong with FR. Perhaps you are projecting your own harder edge and hateful feelings.

Cheers.

[mosby]

You stated Perry was either in a picture of an al-Qaeda body that had been desecrated, or had taken the picture. You know something the military investigation didn't? Let's see it. Apparently you're better able to judge Perry than a tribunal that actually heard or saw all the evidence. And you very boldly lay down these accusation anonymously from behind a computer screen. A real sanctimonious cowardly POS, aren't you?

[Cvengr]

These young pup's would do better to simply read some actual eyewitness reports of combat from seasoned vets. Perhaps Guadalcanal Diary or visit a few Civil War cemetaries and study the ramifications of warfare on personal lives.

They've probably never run into a guy in his eighties still haunted by actions he committed 60 years in his past, forgotten by all others in society, nor have they paid much attention to the widows or orphans who never disclosed their family tragedies, or brothers or sisters now only children when their siblings ought to have had aunts and uncles.

Justifying this sort of behavior is simply a sick bravado counterfeiting maturity, but obvious to those who have not only faced the dilemmas of war, but had to bear responsibility for consequences which they had no control to influence.

To these young idiots, warfare is just about a conflict between brutes. Interesting thing, is that these sort of brutes don't ever have their willpower altered by warfare, they simply become cannon fodder and appropriately so,..for they make no other use of the soul which God has bought and paid for other than seeking carnal and fleshly lust.

Who knows, maybe they'll get their wish and make a spectacular episode of themselves.

More than 50% of sniping is mental attitude. Only about 10% of it is the shot. And for every shot made is another time they'll have to answer to the Father regarding their actions. There are many cases where a righteous sniper saves lives by causing the deaths of a few. But a sniper who seeks to play with corpses, doesn't seek the approval of God. He instead has fallen to a lust of wanting to be worshipped himself. Not only sinful,...but to most men such behavior is obviously very sick. For somebody to stoop to such a low or to rationalize it is unbecoming.

Likewise, remarking about a Chaplain in a battle zone in the language referenced is disrepectful to authority. Gross lack of discipline. Considering he is a sniper who must act independently, if true, he needs to be relieved of duty and punished for disrespect, possibly removed from service as an example to his peers of conduct not tolerable, let alone condoned in combat.

If his seniors were as quick to employ the type of reckless immoral behavior the sniper had been accused of,..they would simply have him shot as an uncontrollable criminal under martial law.

[river rat]

"You sound like a guy who'd have a few old SoFs stashed, next to the can."

When you have no facts or arguments....you defend with insults... Bad show, mate!

That SoF comment was from the article, quoting the Capt. that YOU quoted...

Go to the original source and READ it before you run your mouth and pick fights with folks you don't know.
One day you may run into someone, who may want to "cut off YOUR finger" or "$hit on YOUR chest"....

You have brought NO FACTS to the argument..
You just run your mouth, and accuse....
You appear to be a name calling fool - with NO FACTS..

Yep....sure looks like you have let your alligator mouth overload your hummingbird ass....(again) and are too ignorant to admit you were wrong to slander the Cpl....

No facts, No proof, No charges..... You are the only guilty party in sight...

Semper Fi

[Aura Of The Blade]

Likwise, remarking about a Chaplain in a battle zone in the language referenced is disrespectful to authorities

It has been determined that MCpl Perry was talking to his buddies and what he said was not even directed at the Chaplain. Notwithstanding - God intervened and MCpl Perry was cleared of all allegations. His life has been destroyed by the military hating socialists, the media hounds and other arbitrary accusers, absent any evidence of his wrongdoing. That is a grave injustice.