| Military probes death of wounded iraqi in fallujah Original Source Link: (May no longer be active) http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=10000087&sid=ay1tpGEAQUM0&refer=top_world_newshttp://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=10000087&sid=ay1tpGEAQUM0&refer=top_world_news
U.S. Military Probes Death of Wounded Iraqi in Fallujah Mosque
Nov. 16 (Bloomberg) -- The U.S. military is investigating the killing of a rebel fighter in a mosque in Fallujah three days ago after an NBC News reporter said the Marine shot the wounded Iraqi prisoner in the head from point-blank range.
The probe is focusing on whether an unidentified Marine acted in self-defense, violated military law or failed to comply with the Law of Armed Conflict, when he shot the man, the military said in a statement e-mailed from Baghdad.
``We follow the Law of Armed Conflict and hold ourselves to a high standard of accountability,'' Lieutenant General John F. Sattler, I Marine Expeditionary Force Commanding General said in the statement. ``The facts of this case will be thoroughly pursued to make an informed decision and to protect the rights of all persons involved.''
NBC's Kevin Sites, who witnessed the Nov. 13 incident while assigned to represent a pool of news organizations, said he saw five wounded men lying on the floor of the mosque, who had been left behind in a raid the day before, according to the NBC Web site. One appeared to be dead, three others were severely wounded, and a fifth was lying under a blanket.
One the seriously wounded was still breathing and seemed to be unarmed, and Sites overheard the Marine saying the man was pretending to be dead and saw him raise his rifle and fire into the man's head, the Web site said. Sites also said the Marine told him he was unaware that the Iraqi was a wounded prisoner.
The Marine has been removed from the battlefield pending the results of the investigation, the military said.
Last Updated: November 16, 2004 08:38 EST
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