Investigation Reopened into Deaths of Iraqi Detainees Dilawar and Habibullah
In December, 2002, Mullah Habibullah and a man named Dilawar died while being held for interrogation at Bagram Airbase in Afghanistan. Their deaths were ruled homicides, caused by blunt force trauma. In other words, they were beaten to death. I describe their awful deaths here.
The military investigated, brought charges against a dozen or more soldiers. No one was held accountable. Here's an account of what happened in court.
Witnesses say a federal grand jury in Virginia is now investigating the killings.
In interviews over the past week, three soldiers and an officer from an Ohio-based 377th military police reserve company told The Associated Press they were called as witnesses to the federal grand jury in northern Virginia near the Pentagon. The 377th ran the jail at Bagram Air Field.
The men said they had been told the grand jury's targets were no longer in the military. Federal law allows the civilian prosecution of service members who have left the military since the crime occurred, even if military authorities previously have brought charges.
I hope it's not too late for justice for Habibullah and Dilawar. But, judging from what the recently subpoenaed ex-soldiers told the Associated Press, don't count on it. Sounds like the "blue wall of silence" is kicking in:
More...
Sgts. Darin Broady and Christopher Greatorex and Capt. Christopher Beiring also said they were called to testify about the dead men and the soldiers' work at the jail.
''The first thing they told me is that I'm not being looked at,'' said Greatorex, who like Broady was acquitted of hitting Habibullah.
Broady and Greatorex said investigators showed them a series of photographs, including those of soldiers from the 377th, and asked if they saw any of them abusing the dead men or other detainees. The men said they did not. All three sergeants said they declined offers of immunity from prosecution for crimes based on their testimony.
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