Posted on 04/04/2003 11:39:25 PM PST by kattracks
Soldier Charged in Grenade Attack
.c The Associated Press
FORT CAMPBELL, Ky. (AP) - A U.S. soldier could face the death penalty after being charged with murder for allegedly tossing grenades into his comrades' tents in Kuwait last month.
Two officers were killed in the attack, and 14 soldiers were wounded in the March 23 attack at Camp Pennsylvania.
Sgt. Hasan K. Akbar, 32, was charged two days after the attacks. Fort Campbell, home of the 101st Airborne Division, announced the charges Friday.
Akbar is the only person charged in the attack at the command center of the 101st Division's 1st Brigade.
Akbar is being held at an undisclosed U.S. military facility. Military lawyers assigned to represent Akbar had no comment, the military's statement said.
Dennis Olgin, a retired judge advocate general's corps officer, said the charges carry the death penalty. A commander overseeing the case will decide what penalty to seek, Olgin said.
Akbar, an American Muslim, told family members he was wary of going to war in Iraq. His mother, Quran Bilal, told The Tennessean of Nashville that she was concerned he might have been accused because he is a Muslim.
Akbar was charged under military law with two counts of premeditated murder and 17 counts of attempted murder. Akbar was also charged with aggravated arson of an inhabited dwelling and misbehavior as a sentinel while receiving special pay.
Olgin said the 17 attempted murder charges likely include other soldiers in the tents who were not injured.
Killed in the attack were Army Capt. Christopher Scott Seifert, 27, of Easton, Pa., and Air Force Maj. Gregory Stone, 40, of Boise, Idaho.
Akbar, of the 101st's 326th Engineer Battalion, was taken into custody shortly after the explosions, and a military magistrate found probable cause that he committed the attack. An earlier statement from Fort Campbell said three grenades were thrown or rolled through the front door of three tents.
Akbar's case has been forwarded to the commander of his unit who has authority to direct an investigation under Article 32 of military law, the post said. An Article 32 investigation is similar to a civilian grand jury. A 30-day delay was granted due to the war in Iraq.
The entire 101st Airborne, a rapid-deployment helicopter assault division of about 20,000 soldiers, is deployed for the first time since the 1991 Persian Gulf War.
04/05/03 02:30 EST
My guess is the reference to "special pay" is put him in a combat zone to push the death penalty. At least I hope so.
A young Muslim man, who refused to give his name, shows his feelings toward the media outside the Federal Court House in Buffalo, New York September 18, 2002 where he sat to show his support for the six local suspected al-Qaida supporters who appeared inside the court, September 18, 2002. The six men have been charged with providing material support to al Queda from nearby Lackwanna, New York.
This (censored),(censored),(censored),(censored), will get his comeuppance.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.