Soldier describes anguish in revealing murder allegations
On a night in June, Pfc. Justin Watt lay in his cot in Iraq, anguishing over whether to tell Army investigators that he suspected soldiers from his own platoon had raped a 14-year-old girl and then killed her and her family.
Watt, 23, of Tucson, decided to call his father back home. "If you knew something bad about your brothers," Watt asked him, "would you come forward?"An Army veteran, the elder Watt asked for details, but Justin Watt would offer none. Finally, Rick Watt told his son that whatever had happened would have to be monstrous. "Heinous," he said, "is the only reason for giving up a brother."
Hours later, Watt told authorities what he had learned from talking with another soldier from their platoon in the 101st Airborne Division. That soldier is one of four now accused of the killings March 12 in Mahmoudiya, Iraq.In interviews by telephone and over the Internet from Iraq, Justin Watt recounted for the first time details about his decision to come forward. He refused to discuss any details about the criminal case but explained how the violence that racked his platoon all year and claimed so many of his friends drove his decision. Since being assigned to a different unit and moved away from those who may resent what he did, Watt says he feels isolated and misses his buddies.
On March 12, in the midst of the platoon's hard-luck tour, the bodies of Abeer Qassim al-Janabi, 14, her 5-year-old sister, Hadeel, and their mother, Fikhriya Taha, and father, Qassim Hamza, were found in their Mahmoudiya home. The Army initially blamed the assault on insurgents.Watt says he could barely sleep after the kidnappings. When he did, he had nightmares about dead Iraqi children or slain comrades, talking to or staring at him.According to testimony Watt later gave in court (and that was reported by a small group of journalists allowed inside the hearing), Yribe disclosed a terrible secret:
He suspected that 1st Platoon soldiers had attacked the Iraqi family March 12.Shaken, Watt later approached another soldier in 1st Platoon, Pfc. Bryan Howard, 19. Howard, Watt testified, told him a gruesome story.
The details emerged during a so-called Article 32 hearing held in Baghdad last month. In such hearings, an investigator listens to evidence and decides whether to recommend a court-martial.The Article 32 hearing considered charges of rape and murder against the four soldiers: Howard, Spc. James Barker, 23, Sgt. Paul Cortez, 23, and Pfc. Jesse Spielman, 21. A fifth, Yribe, is not suspected to have taken part in the attack and is charged with dereliction of duty for failing to report the crimes.
Watt, 23, of Tucson, decided to call his father back home. "If you knew something bad about your brothers," Watt asked him, "would you come forward?"An Army veteran, the elder Watt asked for details, but Justin Watt would offer none. Finally, Rick Watt told his son that whatever had happened would have to be monstrous. "Heinous," he said, "is the only reason for giving up a brother."
Hours later, Watt told authorities what he had learned from talking with another soldier from their platoon in the 101st Airborne Division. That soldier is one of four now accused of the killings March 12 in Mahmoudiya, Iraq.In interviews by telephone and over the Internet from Iraq, Justin Watt recounted for the first time details about his decision to come forward. He refused to discuss any details about the criminal case but explained how the violence that racked his platoon all year and claimed so many of his friends drove his decision. Since being assigned to a different unit and moved away from those who may resent what he did, Watt says he feels isolated and misses his buddies.
On March 12, in the midst of the platoon's hard-luck tour, the bodies of Abeer Qassim al-Janabi, 14, her 5-year-old sister, Hadeel, and their mother, Fikhriya Taha, and father, Qassim Hamza, were found in their Mahmoudiya home. The Army initially blamed the assault on insurgents.Watt says he could barely sleep after the kidnappings. When he did, he had nightmares about dead Iraqi children or slain comrades, talking to or staring at him.According to testimony Watt later gave in court (and that was reported by a small group of journalists allowed inside the hearing), Yribe disclosed a terrible secret:
He suspected that 1st Platoon soldiers had attacked the Iraqi family March 12.Shaken, Watt later approached another soldier in 1st Platoon, Pfc. Bryan Howard, 19. Howard, Watt testified, told him a gruesome story.
The details emerged during a so-called Article 32 hearing held in Baghdad last month. In such hearings, an investigator listens to evidence and decides whether to recommend a court-martial.The Article 32 hearing considered charges of rape and murder against the four soldiers: Howard, Spc. James Barker, 23, Sgt. Paul Cortez, 23, and Pfc. Jesse Spielman, 21. A fifth, Yribe, is not suspected to have taken part in the attack and is charged with dereliction of duty for failing to report the crimes.
posted by ABEER QASSIM HAMZA at 13.9.06
1 Comments:
Yes, we should all honor Mr. Watt.
Post a Comment
<< Home