Afgan hails action over US Marines abuse video
26 Sep 2012 1:22 AM GMT
Afghanistan welcomed on Tuesday a Pentagon decision to put two US Marines on trial for urinating on the bodies of dead Taliban fighters and posing for photographs with them.
The Pentagon announced that Staff Sergeants Joseph Chamblin and Edward Deptola will face court martial, a month after three other Marines were sanctioned administratively for their role in the 27 July 2011 incident in Afghanistan’s Helmand province.
‘We welcome the US move to put those Marines on trial,’ defence ministry spokesman General Zahir Azimi said.
‘We want all those people who commit unlawful acts to be brought to justice.’
A videotape that surfaced on the Internet in January showed four US troops urinating on three bloodied corpses, and one of the men, apparently aware he was being filmed, saying: ‘Have a great day, buddy,’ to one of the dead.
The actions depicted in the video took place during a counter-insurgency operation in the restive Musa Qala district of Helmand province, in southwestern Afghanistan in July 2011. The video caused great embarrassment to the US military and prompted a Naval Criminal Investigative Service probe, as well as condemnation and an apology from Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta.  Â
The Pentagon announced that Staff Sergeants Joseph Chamblin and Edward Deptola will face court martial, a month after three other Marines were sanctioned administratively for their role in the 27 July 2011 incident in Afghanistan’s Helmand province.
‘We welcome the US move to put those Marines on trial,’ defence ministry spokesman General Zahir Azimi said.
‘We want all those people who commit unlawful acts to be brought to justice.’
A videotape that surfaced on the Internet in January showed four US troops urinating on three bloodied corpses, and one of the men, apparently aware he was being filmed, saying: ‘Have a great day, buddy,’ to one of the dead.
The actions depicted in the video took place during a counter-insurgency operation in the restive Musa Qala district of Helmand province, in southwestern Afghanistan in July 2011. The video caused great embarrassment to the US military and prompted a Naval Criminal Investigative Service probe, as well as condemnation and an apology from Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta.  Â
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