1 600 gefallene US-Soldaten im Iraq

Washington/Samarra (Reuters) - Im Fall des mutmaßlichen Massakers an 24 Zivilisten im Irak hat ein Untersuchungsbericht die beteiligten Soldaten einer Zeitung zufolge schwer belastet.

Bei der Tat im November in Haditha habe es sich offenbar um einen Angriff der US-Truppen gehandelt, dem keine Provokation vorausgegangen sei, berichtete die "New York Times" am Mittwoch unter Berufung auf einen Bericht des US-Militärs. US-Präsident George W. Bush kündigte an, falls die Soldaten Gesetze überschritten hätten, würden sie bestraft. Die Regierung kündigte an, alle Details zu dem Vorgang offen zu legen. Unterdessen wurden Vorwürfe gegen das US-Militär laut, auch in einer anderen Stadt im Irak Zivilisten getötet zu haben.

Die Zivilisten in Haditha seien erschossen worden und wiesen Schusswunden am Kopf oder am Oberkörper auf, berichtete die Zeitung. Dies widerspricht der bisherigen Darstellung der US-Soldaten, wonach die Menschen bei der Detonation einer am Straßenrand versteckten Bombe ums Leben gekommen sind. Die Zeitung berief sich auf einen hochrangigen US-Armeevertreter, dem die Untersuchungsergebnisse des Militärs zugetragen worden seien. Die meisten der Opfer waren Frauen und Kinder. Die dreiwöchigen internen Ermittlungen von Februar und März waren die ersten im Zusammenhang mit dem Vorfall. Offiziell ist bislang nichts von den Untersuchungsergebnissen öffentlich geworden.

Wie die Zeitung weiter berichtete, zahlte die US-Armee den Angehörigen der Opfer wenige Wochen nach dem Vorfall insgesamt rund 38.000 Dollar an Entschädigung.

"Ich bin besorgt über die Nachrichten", sagte Bush. "Ich weiß, dass es eine umfassende Untersuchung gibt. Wenn tatsächlich Gesetze gebrochen wurden, dann gibt es eine Bestrafung." US-Regierungssprecher Tony Snow hatte erklärt, Bush habe erst von dem Vorfall erfahren, als ihn ein Reporter des Magazins "Time" dazu befragt habe. Danach habe der nationale Sicherheitsberater Stephen Hadley Bush darüber informiert.

Im Zuge der neuen Vorwürfe beschuldigten die irakische Armee, Polizisten und Augenzeugen die US-Truppen, sie hätten am 4. Mai in der Stadt Samarra im Norden des Landes zwei Frauen und einen geistig behinderten Mann erschossen. "Sie waren nicht bewaffnet und es waren keine Kämpfer in dem Haus", sagte ein hochrangiger Polizeioffizier, der anonym bleiben wollte. Ein Augenzeuge äußerte sich entsprechend. Seine 60 Jahre alte Ehefrau, sein behinderter 40-jähriger Sohn und seine 20 Jahre alte Tochter seien getötet worden.

Ein Sprecher der betroffenen US-Division wies die Vorwürfe zurück. Die Soldaten hätten zwei unbekannte Männer und eine Frau getötet, die Anschläge auf die Truppen geplant hätten. Die Opfer seien bei einem Feuergefecht in einem Haus ums Leben gekommen.

 

SAMARRA, Iraq (Reuters) - U.S. forces denied on Wednesday a new accusation, from Iraqi officers, that American troops killed unarmed civilians in their home this month.

Amid mounting public interest in the United States in an inquiry into a suspected massacre at Haditha, the allegations about the deaths of three people at Samarra are among many that Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki said this week were trying his patience with the U.S. military's "excuses" over "mistakes".

Iraqi army and police officers and several people who said they were witnesses and relatives of the dead said U.S. soldiers killed two women, aged 60 and 20, and a mentally handicapped man in their home on May 4 after insurgents fired on the troops.

Spokesmen for the 101st Airborne Division, which controls Samarra and Salahaddin province north of Baghdad, said soldiers from its 3rd Brigade Combat Team killed two unnamed men and a woman in a house who had "planned to attack the soldiers".


In an initial statement on May 5, the unit had said troops killed three people who had already fired on them from a roof.

A senior Iraqi police officer from the province's Joint Coordination Center (JCC), a unit that liaises between the U.S. and Iraqi security forces, said: "There was shooting outside the house. Samarra police told us that American soldiers went inside and shot three people, including a mentally handicapped man.

"They were not armed and there were no gunmen in the house," said the officer, who spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of being targeted by insurgents who routinely kill policemen.

There are frequent disputes over incidents between U.S. military and Iraqi officials in Salahaddin, where the Sunni Arab revolt against occupation and the Shi'ite-led government has been strong. U.S. officers have complained of "disinformation" from police as part of an insurgent campaign to discredit them.

RELATIVES' STATEMENTS  
 

On May 6, Army Colonel Fadhil Muhammed, assistant manager of the JCC, said in a statement: "Multinational forces raided the house of a citizen and killed three people and wounded two from one family at 7 p.m. on May 4." He described the dead as "martyrs", indicating the authorities believed them innocent.

In his family home in the Sikaak district of Samarra, 100 km (60 miles) north of Baghdad, Zedan Khalaf Habib told a Reuters reporter that the soldiers killed his 60-year-old wife, Khairiya Nisiyif Jassim, his son Khaled Zedan Khalaf, 40, who was mentally handicapped, and daughter Anaam Zedan Khalaf, 20.

Habib, 66, said he was hit in the arm when soldiers fired from a doorway into a room where 15 people had taken refuge in his house after a gunfight broke out nearby. Another daughter said soldiers placed a rifle next to her brother's body and took photographs to suggest he had been armed when killed.

"I was sitting next to my house when clashes erupted between gunmen and U.S. forces," said Habib, sitting in his home three weeks later. "I went indoors with my family to a safe room."


U.S. soldiers then broke down the door, he said: "Four soldiers stood at the door of the room where we were hiding. There were 15 of us. They started firing. I was shot in the arm and then one of the soldiers dragged me out.

"The firing went on against my family. I was lying face down in another room and they dragged one of my relatives over me."

Habib said he woke from a faint as someone called his name: "It was a policeman. He was crying. The room was full of blood. A few minutes later he showed me the bodies of my relatives.

"They were in black body bags," he said, providing a home video showing the room streaked with blood.

"STAGED EVIDENCE"
 

Shireen, his 36-year-old daughter, said: "After they killed my brother Khaled they shot him three more times in the chest and they put a rifle between his legs to show he was armed and they took a photograph of him."

Asked to comment on the allegation, Master Sergeant Terry Webster of the 101st Airborne said the soldiers came under fire from a rooftop after arresting three people nearby who were suspected of planting roadside bombs:

"The troops suppressed the rooftop fire, entered and cleared the home. Three people in the home, one woman and two men, were killed in the ensuing firefight. A second woman was injured and transported to a nearby hospital," Webster wrote in an e-mail.

"The injured woman confessed that the three people killed had planned to attack the soldiers as they drove by the house.


"No Coalition forces were injured during the engagement."

The unit's initial statement on May 5 said that the three dead were those who had opened fire from the roof: "As the soldiers began to leave the area with the detainees, they came under attack with small arms fire from a nearby rooftop.

"The troops suppressed the rooftop fire and entered and killed the three attackers from the rooftop. An Iraqi citizen was injured during the firefight, but still provided the soldiers with information about the rooftop firers."

The White House pledged on Tuesday to provide full details once investigations are complete into whether Marines killed up to 24 unarmed civilians in Haditha, a Sunni city in the west, and whether they tried to cover it up.

 

im Irak fast täglich, aber die US-Armee bestreitet/vertuscht es sowieso immer solange, bis nicht Fotos oder andere klare Beweise vorliegen (war ja bei Abu Ghoraib nichts anderes...)

füx  

+ 2471...


BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- The U.S. military is investigating reports that its soldiers shot and killed two women, one of them pregnant, in Samarra, according to the U.S. military and an official with the Joint Coordination Center in Salaheddin Province.

A JCC official said 35-year-old Nahiba Husayif Jassim and Faliha Mohammed Hassan, 55, were heading for the hospital Tuesday for the delivery of Nahiba's baby.

Witnesses said the women were killed when their vehicle drove through a checkpoint around 3 p.m., but that information has not yet been verified, the official added.

The Associated Press identified the driver as Jassim's brother, Khalid Nisaif Jassim, who is quoted as saying he drove "at full speed because I did not see any sign or warning from the Americans."

"It was not until they shot the two bullets that killed my sister and cousin that I stopped," AP quoted him as saying. "God take revenge on the Americans and those who brought them here. They have no regard for our lives."

He said that the baby also died, according to AP.

The U.S. military said that the vehicle had entered a "clearly marked prohibited area near coalition troops at an observation post in Samarra."

"Shots were fired to disable the vehicle," the U.S. military said, only after the vehicle "failed to stop despite repeated visual and auditory signals.

"The vehicle stopped, changed directions and quickly departed the area.

"Coalition forces later received reports from Iraqi police that two women died from gunshot wounds at the Samarra hospital; and one of the females may have been pregnant.

"The loss of life is regrettable and coalition forces go to great lengths to prevent them."

The incident comes amid outrage over the alleged massacre of 24 Iraqi civilians in Haditha by U.S. Marines in November.

On Wednesday, U.S. President Bush promised punishment for November's Haditha incident, "if in fact the laws were broken," and said he is "mindful that there's a thorough investigation going on."

The White House also said that the results of the Haditha investigation will be made public. (Full story)

Attacks across Iraq
Insurgent attacks across Iraq Wednesday left at least 11 people dead and 33 injured, including an Iraqi journalist, according to police reports.

Gunmen killed Ali Jaaraf, a sports anchor for Iraqi state satellite television, in southern Baghdad, and, in a separate incident, targeted a police patrol station, where four people -- including police and civilians -- were killed. Seven others were wounded, police said.

A bomb also ripped through the office of Muqdadiya's mayor, Elaiwi Farhan, killing him and wounding four employees, police in Baquba, the provincial capital, said.

Near Baquba, gunmen opened fire on a minibus around 5:30 p.m. (9:30 a.m. ET), killing five people and wounding three, according to a police official.

Around noon (4 a.m. ET) in the northern city of Mosul, a car bomb targeting a police patrol wounded 19 people, including five police officers, police said.

Other developments

Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki on Wednesday declared a month-long state of emergency in Basra, where violence has erupted in recent weeks among rival Shiite factions fighting for control of its rich oil resources, and sectarian tensions remain high. (Full story)


The judge ejected Saddam Hussein's former intelligence chief and half-brother, Barzan Hassan, from the court Wednesday, as the prosecution and defense accused the other of lies. One defense witness testified that the chief prosecutor, Jaafar Moussawi, tried to bribe him in 2004; Moussawi countered by calling the testimony fabricated and for the witness to be investigated. (Full story)


Over a 24-hour period, police found at least 40 bodies in eastern and western Baghdad, with bullet wounds to the head and signs of torture, police told CNN. The victims could not be immediately identified.


In a noncombat incident, a U.S. soldier attached to Multi-Division-Baghdad died on Wednesday at approximately 5:30 a.m. (9:30 p.m. Tuesday). The death brings the number of U.S. military deaths in Iraq to 2,471.  

"Wir werden mit eiserner Faust zuschlagen"

Bei seinem ersten Besuch in der südirakischen Stadt Basra hat der neue irakische Ministerpräsident al-Maliki angekündigt, er werde mit Härte gegen Attentäter und Verbrecherbanden vorgehen. Weil sie um ihr Leben fürchten, haben Tausende die Stadt verlassen.



Basra - "Jeden der versucht, die Sicherheit der Stadt Basra zu gefährden, werden wir mit eiserner Faust bekämpfen", sagte Nuri al-Maliki. Er führt die erste ständige Regierung seit dem Sturz von Machthaber Saddam Hussein vor drei Jahren. Hauptaufgabe der Regierung ist es, Terror und Mord Herr zu werden.

In Basra, das vom britischen Militär kontrolliert wird, war es nach der amerikanisch-britischen Invasion 2003 lange Zeit relativ friedlich gewesen. Erst seit einigen Wochen hat auch hier die Zahl der Anschläge und Attentate zugenommen. Der Gouverneur von Basra, Mohammed al-Waili, hatte schiitischen Religionsführern vorgeworfen, einige von ihnen seien hinter den Kulissen in diese Morde verwickelt.

Nach Untersuchungen des Ministeriums für Migration haben in den vergangenen drei Monaten 17.129 irakische Familien aus Angst um ihr Leben ihre Häuser verlassen. Das berichtete die irakische Zeitung "Al-Bajina Al-Jadida". Der Untersuchung zufolge verlassen die weitaus meisten Binnenflüchtlinge Gebiete, in denen sie zur religiösen Minderheit gehören, und siedeln sich stattdessen in Städten oder Vierteln an, in denen ihre Religionsgruppe die Mehrheit stellt.

Unbekannte ermordeten heute den ehemaligen Gouverneur der Provinz Diwanija im Süden des Landes, der diesen Posten unter dem Regime von Saddam Hussein innehatte. Bei einer Razzia amerikanischer und irakischer Truppen südlich von Bagdad wurden drei mutmaßliche Aufständische getötet und 27 weitere festgenommen. Ein Sportmoderator des staatlichen TV-Senders al-Irakija wurde nach Angaben des Senders in Bagdad ermordet. Im Osten der Hauptstadt entführten und töteten Unbekannte einen sunnitischen Prediger.

Im Prozess gegen Saddam Hussein und sieben weitere Funktionäre seines Regimes versuchte die Verteidigung am Mittwoch, die Zeugen der Anklage und Oberstaatsanwalt Dschafar al-Mussawi zu diskreditieren.

Zwischen dem Vorsitzenden Richter und Saddams Halbbruder Barsan al-Tikriti kam es zu einem Wortgefecht, das der Richter beendete, indem er den Angeklagten aus dem Saal bringen ließ.

 

Neue Tötungsvorwürfe gegen US-Soldaten

Die USA sehen sich mit neuen Vorwürfen konfrontiert, ihre Soldaten hätten im Irak unschuldige Zivilisten getötet. Die irakische Armee, Polizisten und Augenzeugen beschuldigten die US-Truppen, zwei Frauen und einen geistig behinderten Mann erschossen zu haben.


Hamburg - Dies sei am 4. Mai in der Stadt Samarra im Norden des Landes geschehen. "Sie waren nicht bewaffnet und es waren keine Kämpfer im Haus", sagte ein hochrangiger Polizeioffizier, der anonym bleiben wollte.
Ein Augenzeuge bestätigte die Vorwürfe. Seine 60 Jahre alte Ehefrau, sein behinderter 40-jähriger Sohn und seine 20 Jahre alte Tochter seien getötet worden.

Ein Sprecher der betroffenen US-Division wies die Vorwürfe zurück. Die Soldaten hätten zwei unbekannte Männer und eine Frau getötet, die Anschläge auf die Truppen geplant hätten. Die Opfer seien bei einem Feuergefecht in einem Haus ums Leben gekommen.

Die Vorwürfe folgen auf jüngste Anschuldigungen, die US-Armee habe in der westlichen Stadt Haditha ein Massaker an 24 unschuldigen Zivilisten verübt. Die US-Regierung hat zugesagt, vollständig öffentlich über den Vorfall zu informieren, sobald die Ermittlungen abgeschlossen sind.

 

es scheint, als kommt schön langsam das ganze Grauen ans Tageslicht...und das ist auch gut so, denn nur so kann die öffentliche Meinung sich endgültig drehen und die Bush-Regierung aus dem Amt getrieben werden...


BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) -- U.S. forces killed two Iraqi women - one of them about to give birth - when the troops shot at a car that failed to stop at an observation post in a city north of Baghdad, Iraqi officials and relatives said Wednesday. Nabiha Nisaif Jassim, 35, was being raced to the maternity hospital in Samarra by her brother when the shooting occurred Tuesday.

Jassim, the mother of two children, and her 57-year-old cousin, Saliha Mohammed Hassan, were killed by the U.S. forces, according to police Capt. Laith Mohammed and witnesses.

The U.S. military said coalition troops fired at a car after it entered a clearly marked prohibited area near an observation post but failed to stop despite repeated visual and auditory warnings.

"Shots were fired to disable the vehicle," the military said in a statement e-mailed to The Associated Press. "Coalition forces later received reports from Iraqi police that two women had died from gunshot wounds ... and one of the females may have been pregnant."

 

 
Jassim's brother, who was wounded by broken glass, said he did not see any warnings as he sped his sister to the hospital. Her husband was waiting for her there.

"I was driving my car at full speed because I did not see any sign or warning from the Americans. It was not until they shot the two bullets that killed my sister and cousin that I stopped," he said. "God take revenge on the Americans and those who brought them here. They have no regard for our lives."

He said doctors tried but failed to save the baby after his sister was brought to the hospital.

The shooting deaths occurred in the wake of an investigation into allegations that U.S. Marines killed unarmed civilians in the western city of Haditha.

   
The U.S. military said the incident in Samarra, 60 miles north of Baghdad, was being investigated. The city is in the heart of the so-called Sunni Triangle and has in the past seen heavy insurgent activity.

"The loss of life is regrettable and coalition forces go to great lengths to prevent them," the military said.

The women's bodies were wrapped in sheets and lying on stretchers outside the Samarra General Hospital before being taken to the morgue, while residents pointed to bullet holes on the windshield of a car and a pool of blood on the seat.

Khalid Nisaif Jassim, the pregnant woman's brother, said American forces had blocked off the side road only two weeks ago and news about the observation post had been slow to filter out to rural areas.

He said the killings, like those in Haditha, were examples of random killings faced by Iraqis every day.

The killings at Haditha, a city that has been plagued by insurgents, came after a bomb rocked a military convoy on Nov. 19, killing a Marine. Rep. John Murtha, D-Pa., a decorated war veteran who has been briefed by military officials, has said Marines shot and killed unarmed civilians in a taxi at the scene and went into two homes and shot others.

Military investigators have evidence that points toward unprovoked murders by Marines, a senior defense official said last week.

In his first public comments on the incident, President Bush said he was troubled by the allegations, and that, "If in fact laws were broken, there will be punishment."

Former Iraqi Foreign Minister Adnan Pachachi told the BBC that the allegations have "created a feeling of great shock and sadness and I believe that if what is alleged is true - and I have no reason to believe it's not - then I think something very drastic has to be done."

"There must be a level of discipline imposed on the American troops and change of mentality which seems to think that Iraqi lives are expendable," said Pachachi, a member of parliament.

If confirmed as unjustified killings, the episode could be the most serious case of criminal misconduct by U.S. troops during three years of combat in Iraq. Until now the most infamous occurrence was the Abu Ghraib prisoner abuse involving Army soldiers, which came to light in April 2004 and which Bush said he considered to be the worst U.S. mistake of the entire war.

Once the military investigation is completed, perhaps in June, it will be up to a senior Marine commander in Iraq to decide whether to press charges of murder or other violations of the Uniform Code of Military Justice.

The incident has sparked two investigations - one into the deadly encounter itself and another into whether it was the subject of a cover-up. The Marine Corps had initially attributed 15 civilian deaths to the car bombing and a firefight with insurgents, eight of whom the Marines reported had been killed.

"People in Samarra are very angry with the Americans not only because of Haditha case but because the Americans kill people randomly specially recently," Khalid Nisaif Jassim said.

 

Washington (Reuters) - Ein Untersuchungsbericht des US-Militärs wird einer Zeitung zufolge mehrere Offiziere der Falschaussage über das mutmaßliche Massaker von Haditha beschuldigen.

Hochrangige Militärs sollen demnach gefälschte Berichte über die Tötung von 24 irakischen Zivilisten im November abgegeben haben, berichtete die "Washington Post" am Donnerstag. Zudem hätten die Vorgesetzten der Offiziere es versäumt, deren Angaben zu prüfen. Als weiteres Ergebnis der dreimonatigen Untersuchung würden Änderungen in der Ausbildung der Soldaten gefordert, die in den Irak entsandt werden, berichtete die Zeitung unter Berufung auf einen namentlich nicht genannten Armee-Vertreter. Zu der Frage, ob die Militärs versucht hätten, den Vorfall zu vertuschen, wollte sich der Vertreter nicht äußern.

Die derzeit laufende Untersuchung ist eine von zwei Militär-Ermittlungen zu dem mutmaßlichen Massaker. Ihr Ergebnis soll der Zeitung zufolge Ende der Woche der Militär-Führung vorgelegt werden. Erst am Mittwoch war bekannt geworden, dass ein weiterer Untersuchungsbericht die beteiligten US-Soldaten schwer belastet. Demnach hat es sich bei der Tötung der 24 Zivilisten im rund 200 Kilometer nordwestlich der Hauptstadt Bagdad gelegenen Haditha am 19. November offenbar um einen Angriff der US-Truppen gehandelt, dem keine Provokation vorausging. Die meisten Opfer waren Frauen und Kinder.

 

Defense lawyers for toppled Iraqi President Saddam Hussein accused the prosecution of trying to bribe a witness and putting another on the stand who perjured himself, Reuters reported.

Saddam and seven members of the former Iraqi regime are accused of a crackdown that led to the execution of 148 Shias in the village of Dujail following a 1982 failed assassination attempt on Saddam. All the accused have pleaded not guilty to the charges.

If convicted, they could face the death penalty.

The trial is now in the defense phase, which is expected to take some weeks.

On Wednesday, a defense witness, speaking from behind a curtain to protect his identity, accused chief prosecutor Jaafar al-Moussawi of offering him money in 2004 to give false testimony.

"One day they took me to a room where I met someone and he said: 'What you are saying is not good for us or the Iraqi people. We want to have the tyrant Saddam executed'," the witness said, referring to Moussawi and others.

"An officer threatened me and said if I speak out about this, he will kill me and my family. I watched the court on television at a later time and realized that Moussawi was the same guy."

"At the end of the meeting he gave me $500," the witness said.

Moussawi denied the accusations and demanded the court to prosecute the witness.

The defense team also showed a DVD which proved that another witness perjured himself.  

Ali Hassan Muhammad al-Haidari testified in December that there had never been an assassination attempt against Saddam in Dujail and that shots were fired in the air to celebrate the former president’s visit to the town.

But the defense played a video showing Haidari giving a speech in Dujail on July 8, 2004, during a celebration in which he praised the attack on Saddam.

"It was a historical day in the life of this town when they tried to kill the worst tyrant ever known in history ... when this religious group wanted to save the Iraqi people from this tyrant," he said on the video.

The defense team also said that Moussawi was seen in the video celebrating after the failed attack on Saddam, and therefore knew that the testimony was false.

But the chief prosecutor dismissed the accusations as “irrelevant”, saying that the man in the video was someone else who resembles him.

Nonetheless the defense team demanded the court to prosecute Haidari for perjury and for the whole trial to be suspended.

"Now that it's been proven that the second witness has given an untrue testimony, we ask that the trial proceedings be stopped to allow for an investigation into the veracity of the other prosecution testimony," lawyer Ziyad al-Najdawi said.

 

Interner Armee-Bericht bestätigt Massaker

Eine interne Untersuchung des US-Militärs kommt zu dem Schluss, dass US-Soldaten in Haditha willkürlich irakische Zivilisten erschossen haben. US-Präsident Bush zeigte sich in seiner ersten öffentlichen Stellungnahme zu dem Fall "besorgt".


Berlin - Das "Massaker von Haditha" am 19. November 2005 war offensichtlich ein willkürlicher Angriff von US-Soldaten auf irakische Zivilisten. Zu diesem Schluss komme eine interne Untersuchung der US-Armee, berichtete heute die "New York Times". Zu den Beweisen, die der Sonderermittler Oberst Gregory Watt gefunden hat, zählen die Todesurkunden der 24 irakischen Opfer, die alle Schusswunden in Kopf oder Brust aufwiesen. Watts Bericht ist noch nicht öffentlich.


Der Hinweis auf die Schusswunden stand bereits in dem Artikel des US-Magazins "Time", der den Skandal Anfang des Jahres ins Rollen brachte. Unter der Schlagzeile "Ein Morgen in Haditha" hatte das Magazin den Angriff mit Hilfe von Augenzeugenberichten rekonstruiert. Zunächst war demnach der US-Marineinfanterist Miguel Terrazas in einem fahrenden Militärkonvoi durch eine ferngesteuerte Straßenbombe getötet worden, zwei weitere GIs wurden verletzt. Daraufhin zogen andere Mitglieder des Bataillons durch fünf anliegende Häuser und erschossen zwei Dutzend Zivilisten, darunter Frauen und Kinder.

"Ich glaube, dass sie einfach blind vor Hass waren und die Kontrolle verloren haben", sagte heute einer der beiden Verletzten, Unteroffizier James Crossan, dem Fernsehsender King-TV in Seattle.

Erst die "Time"-Recherchen veranlassten die US-Armee, am 14. Februar eine Untersuchung einzuleiten. Bis dahin hatte die offizielle Version gelautet, die Zivilisten seien bei der Bombenexplosion getötet worden. Gegenüber Sonderermittler Watts verteidigten die US-Soldaten laut "New York Times" ihr Verhalten damit, dass sie aus dem ersten Haus beschossen worden seien und in einem Haus das Ladegeräusch einer AK47-Maschinenpistole gehört zu haben glaubten.

Inzwischen läuft eine strafrechtliche Ermittlung gegen rund ein Dutzend beteiligte Marines, die zu Mordanklagen führen könnte. Gegen Vorgesetzte wird wegen Verdachts auf Vertuschung ermittelt. Das Weiße Haus sagte heute vollständige Aufklärung und eine Veröffentlichung des Berichts zu.

Falls Gesetze gebrochen worden seien, würden die Täter bestraft, sagte US-Präsident Bush in Washington in seiner ersten öffentlichen Stellungnahme zu dem Fall. Er sei durch die Presseberichte sehr "besorgt" und dränge auf eine gründliche Untersuchung.

Der demokratische Kongressabgeordnete John Murtha, der bereits mehrfach den Abzug der US-Truppen aus dem Irak gefordert hat, sagte auf CNN, das Massaker von Haditha sei schlimmer als der Folterskandal von Abu Ghureib. Erneut warf er der Armee Vertuschung vor. Als Indiz führte er die Zahlungen von 2500 Dollar an, die an die Familien von 15 Opfern gezahlt wurden.

Der irakische Ministerpräsident Nuri Al-Maliki zeigte sich tief besorgt. "Entschuldigungen sind nur begrenzt akzeptabel", sagte er der Nachrichtenagentur Reuters. "Wir sind besorgt über die Zunahme von 'Fehlern'. Ich sage nicht, dass sie beabsichtigt sind. Aber sie sind Besorgnis erregend." Maliki will nun den Druck auf die US-Armee erhöhen. "Wir werden um Antworten nicht nur auf die Haditha-Frage bitten, sondern für jeden Einsatz, bei dem es zu einer fehlerhaften Tötung kam, und wir werden diejenigen, die dies getan haben, zur Verantwortung ziehen."

Der neue irakische Botschafter in den USA, Samir al-Sumaidaie, schlug einen deutlicheren Ton an. Sein 21-jähriger Cousin sei vor einem Jahr ebenfalls in Haditha im Haus seiner Familie willkürlich von einem Marineinfanteristen erschossen worden, sagte er CNN. "Ich bin überzeugt, er wurde in voller Absicht getötet. Ich bin überzeugt, dass es keinen Grund für die Tötung gab". Anschließende Ermittlungen der US-Armee "schlugen aber eine andere Richtung ein und kamen zu dem Schluss, die Tötung sei nicht gesetzwidrig gewesen". Verwandte und Freunde hätten ihm auch von dem Massaker im November berichtet, ihn jedoch unter Druck gesetzt, es nicht weiter zur Sprache zu bringen.

Im März hatte die irakische Polizei der US-Armee vorgeworfen, willkürlich eine elfköpfige Familie in Ischaki nördlich von Bagdad erschossen zu haben. Vor wenigen Tagen leitete die US-Armee zudem Ermittlungen zum Tod eines weiteren irakischen Zivilisten westlich von Bagdad im April ein.

 

Amerikanische Soldaten haben im Nordirak eine schwangere Irakerin auf dem Weg zur Entbindung erschossen.

Wie die Polizei am Donnerstag berichtete, hatte ein Fahrer die hochschwangere Frau am Dienstagabend zusammen mit zwei weiblichen Angehörigen zum Krankenhaus bringen sollen.

Er bog jedoch im Dunkeln falsch ab und nahm Kurs auf einen amerikanischen Militärstützpunkt. Auf dem Weg dorthin sei das Fahrzeug unter Beschuss genommen worden. Die Schwangere und ihre Schwester starben nach Angaben der Polizei. Der Fahrer wurde verletzt. Die US-Armee nahm dazu zunächst keine Stellung
 

BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) -- Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki on Thursday denounced the alleged killings of Iraqi civilians by U.S. forces and said he asked a ministerial committee to hold talks with U.S. military to set ground rules for raids and detentions.

The move came in the wake of an investigation into allegations that U.S. Marines killed unarmed civilians in the western city of Haditha.

Al-Maliki said he had ordered the "national security ministerial committee to follow up on this issue with the multinational forces" and "to hold talks with the multinational forces to formulate ground rules for detentions and raids."

When asked about Iraqi complaints that U.S. forces show no regard for their lives during raids and detentions, al-Maliki said he objected to such practices.

   
"We cannot forgive violations of the dignity of the Iraqi people," he said during a press conference. He also said the Cabinet had agreed to issue a statement denouncing such practices.

The killings at Haditha, a city that has been plagued by insurgents, came after a bomb rocked a military convoy on Nov. 19, killing a Marine. Rep. John Murtha, D-Pa., a decorated war veteran who has been briefed by military officials, has said Marines shot and killed unarmed civilians in a taxi at the scene and went into two homes and shot others.

The U.S. military says it constantly strives to avoid civilian casualties and has promised the deaths in Haditha, 140 miles northwest of Baghdad, will be fully investigated.

In his first public comments on the incident, President Bush said Wednesday that he was troubled by the allegations, and that, "If in fact laws were broken, there will be punishment."
   
More than 4,000 Iraqis - many of them civilians - have been killed in war-related violence this year, including at least 936 in May alone, according to an Associated Press count. That makes May the second deadliest month for Iraqis over the past year. Only March recorded more fatalities.

 

BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- A U.S. military commander in Iraq on Thursday ordered subordinate commanders on the ground "to conduct core warrior values training, highlighting the importance of adhering to legal, moral and ethical standards on the battlefield."

The back-to-the-basics move, announced in a coalition military statement, is being made in the wake of the alleged killings by Marines of 24 civilians in the Anbar province city of Haditha last November.

Lt. Gen. Peter W. Chiarelli, Multi-National Corps-Iraq commander, issued the directive.

The commanders will receive "a slide presentation with training vignettes they can adapt to their organization." The training -- which would "reinforce and sustain training that forces received prior to their deployment to Iraq" -- will be conducted over the next 30 days.

"The training package emphasizes professional military values and the importance of disciplined, professional conduct in combat, Iraqi cultural expectations and the second and third order effects of actions that are contrary to professional military values."

Chiarelli is quoted in the statement as saying that 99.9 percent of the "nearly 150,000 coalition forces" in Iraq "perform their jobs magnificently every day."

"They do their duty with honor under difficult circumstances. They exhibit sound judgment, honesty and integrity. They display patience, professionalism and restraint in the face of a treacherous enemy. And they do the right thing even when no one is watching. Unfortunately, there are a few individuals who sometimes choose the wrong path."

Chiarelli said "as military professionals, it is important that we take time to reflect on the values that separate us from our enemies.

"The challenge for us is to make sure the actions of a few do not tarnish the good work of the many."

Gen. Michael Hagee, the commandant of the Marine Corps, traveled to Iraq recently to discuss the treatment of noncombatants with his troops and remind them of their "core values."

President Bush said Wednesday that if an investigation finds Marines killed civilians in Haditha, "there will be punishment."

"The Marine Corps is full of honorable people who understand the rules of war," Bush said in his first public comments on the killings in Haditha. "... those who violated the law, if they did, will be punished." (Full story)

Military investigators strongly suspect that a small number of Marines snapped after one of their own was killed by a roadside bomb November 19 in Haditha, a city on the Euphrates River northwest of Baghdad, and went on a rampage, sources told CNN. (Watch Defense Secretary Rumsfeld discuss the Haditha probe -- 5:30)

Marine Gen. Peter Pace, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said two investigations are under way -- one into the killings themselves, the other on "why didn't we know about it sooner than we knew about it."

The commander of the battalion involved in the incident has been relieved of his command, along with two company commanders.

The investigation is likely to result in murder charges against some Marines and dereliction of duty counts against others, sources told CNN.

Rep. John Murtha -- an ex-Marine and Democrat critical of the Bush administration's handling of the war -- said the allegations could do worse damage to the U.S. war effort in Iraq than the 2004 revelations of torture at the U.S.-run Abu Ghraib prison
 

Ramadi Solution Will Be Up to Iraqi Government, General Says

By Sgt. Sara Wood, USA

American Forces Press Service


WASHINGTON, May 31, 2006 – Although 1,500 U.S. troops were deployed this week from Kuwait to help calm the recent surge of violence in Ramadi, Iraq, the decision about how to handle the problem in that area ultimately belongs to the Iraqi government, a U.S. general involved in planning operations said here today.
"There is a contest in Ramadi right now, and that is a contest for the Iraqi government to figure out how to deal with. Our job is to help them do that," Army Brig. Gen. Carter Ham, deputy director for regional operations for the Joint Staff, said in a Pentagon news briefing.

Ramadi probably is the most contentious city in Iraq, as assassinations and intimidation efforts by insurgents continue, Ham said. The U. S. is committed to helping Iraqis restore the rule of law in Ramadi, but the goal is for Iraqi security forces to be operating in and around the city, he said.

"There's one thing I know, and that is that Ramadi will not be under U.S. control," Ham said. "It is and will always be under Iraqi control. It's Iraq -- it's their country. Our job is to help them."

The Iraqis will need U.S. support to restore order in Ramadi, Ham said, but he said he remains confident that they will be able to make the right decisions and control their own country.

"The demonstrated ability of the Iraqi security forces, particularly over the past several months, doesn't leave me with any question about their ability to operate effectively, once it is that their government decides what the plan will be," he said.

The force that was deployed from Kuwait was stationed there specifically to act as a reserve force, Ham said. Having available reserve forces gives the commanders on the ground the flexibility to deal with unpredictable tactical situations, he said.

"The important thing is that the commanders retain the ability to have a reserve force that they can commit for unforeseen circumstances," he said. "They clearly do have that capability, and will continue to have that capability."

Ham also commended the Afghan government for its handling of the protests following the deadly vehicle accident this week. Afghan security forces established control and the Afghan government implemented policies and made public addresses to deal with the situation, he said.

"Certainly, we are all deeply remorseful that an accident in which a U.S. vehicle was involved resulted in loss of life and injuries," he said. "Moreover, we should be cognizant of the fact that a freely elected government of Afghanistan managed this situation effectively. That could not have happened only a few short years ago."

 

The British government finds itself on the defense after a recent BBC report stated that the number of UK servicemen deserting has tripled since March 2003 war on Iraq, which raises fears that there’s increasing refusal among British troops to serve on dangerous missions abroad, UK’s Telegraph wrote recently.

At least 1,000 UK soldiers have deserted the army since the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq three years ago, according to a BBC report published earlier this week.

According to figures from the Ministry of Defence; the number of permanent Awols has risen from 118 in 2002, the year before Iraq war, to 377 last year. This year, 189 troops have not reported back for duty.

The disclosure comes as the Parliament debates a new law that will make refusing to participate in the occupation of a foreign country punishable by a sentence of up to life in prison.

“We are seeing an increase in the numbers who have absented themselves from service who come to us for advice. We do what we can to defend them,” said Justin Hugheston-Roberts, a solicitor who represented Flt Lt Malcolm Kendall-Smith, sentenced to eight months in jail for refusing to fight in Iraq.

Troops suffer low morale, and many feel they’re not making any difference to Iraq's reconstruction while being targets for daily attacks.

"I can't speak for others, but there's a lot of dissent in the Army about the legality of the war and concerns that they're spending too much time there," said Ben Griffin, former SAS member who left the Army after witnessing illegal acts by U.S. troops.

Many reports also revealed that hundreds of U.S. military men have deserted the Army over “illegality of the war.”

Although MoD didn’t state a reasons for people deserting the army, “one reason is thought to concern troops faced with a second or third tour to Iraq and under pressure families fearing for their safety,” according to The Telegraph.

But MoD spokesman claimed that "we have found that the main reason for troops going Awol is for domestic reasons rather than our operational commitments overseas".

"A vast majority of the absentees return to their unit after a few weeks away and are usually disciplined with a fine or other minor punishment.”

Hundreds ask to leave the Army each year before their contracted time is up under a"premature voluntary withdrawal" system. But since this takes between six and 12 months, some decide to leave without permission.

John McDonnell, Labour MP for Hayes and Harlington warned the Parliament earlier this week that the number of absconders had tripled since March 2003 invasion with more soldiers "questioning the morality and legality of the occupation".

McDonnell asserted that the numbers of British troops trying to absent themselves from service in Iraq were on the rise.

"My understanding is there are a lot more seeking to avoid service, through different mechanisms," he said.

"I think what the MoD is saying flies in the face of all the other evidence and the experience of soldiers on the ground."

This "shows how much pressure the armed forces are under with dangerous missions in Iraq and Afghanistan, often undertaken with inadequate resources," said Nick Harvey, the Liberal Democrat defence spokesman, who called the figures "astonishing".

In a report based on the same House of Commons source, The Times of London stated earlier that since the start of Iraq war 3,000 British soldiers go absent every year without leave permission.

2,000 have been found and 1,000 of them remain missing.

The Times, which editorially supported U.S.-led war on Iraq, reported skepticism among defense attorneys over the UK government's persistence to deny that the desertion rates reflect dissatisfaction about Britain's role in Iraq.

Numerous polls showed rising dissatisfaction among the Britons over Iraq war. Most Britons now know that the British PM Tony Blair lied about reasons to invade the country, which include fear of Saddam’s alleged Weapons of Mass Destruction, which were never found, and having link to terror networks, which also was never proved.

Blair has repetitively stated that UK is involved in Iraq war “to establish democratic institutions and guarantee security and prosperity,” The Guardian said. But since the security situation in Iraq is now worse than ever with the noticeable rise in daily attacks and sectarian killings, the British PM policy proved to be incoherent.

The British PM and members of his government are prisoners of denial.

 

Bagdad/Washington (Reuters) - Die USA haben ein ethisches Spezialtraining für ihre Truppen im Irak angeordnet und reagieren damit offenbar auf die jüngsten Massaker-Vorwürfe.

Mit der Schulung sollten die Soldaten angehalten werden, sich im Kampf an die moralischen und ethischen Richtlinien der Truppe zu halten, erklärte der Chef der US-Kampftruppen im Irak, Generalleutnant Peter W. Chiarelli am Donnerstag. Ermittlungen des US-Militärs zufolge haben US-Soldaten im November im west-irakischen Haditha nicht nur 24 Zivilisten offenbar willkürlich erschossen, sondern den Vorfall auch anschließend vertuscht.

"99,9 Prozent der fast 150.000 Soldaten der US-geführten Streitkräfte erfüllten ihre Aufgaben auf hervorragende Weise", sagte Chiarelli bei der Ankündigung der Maßnahme. "Leider gibt es aber einige Einzelpersonen, die sich manchmal für das Falsche entscheiden", erklärte er. Auf die Berichte über das mutmaßliche Massaker in Haditha ging er nicht ein. Die Soldaten sollen den Werte-Unterricht seinen Angaben zufolge innerhalb eines Monats absolvieren.

Die "Washington Post" berichtete aus laufenden Ermittlungen, es gebe Hinweise darauf, dass die US-Armee die Vorgänge zunächst vertuscht habe. Einige beteiligte Soldaten hätten ihren Vorgesetzten demnach falsche Informationen gegeben. Diese hätten es versäumt, die Angaben zu prüfen. Die Zeitung berichtete zudem, als Ergebnis der dreimonatigen Untersuchung würden Änderungen in der Ausbildung der Soldaten gefordert.

Am Vortag war bekannt geworden, dass eine weitere Untersuchung zum Hergang des Vorfalls in Haditha die beteiligten US-Soldaten schwer belastet. Bei der Tötung der Zivilisten habe es sich offenbar um einen Angriff der US-Truppen gehandelt, dem keine Provokation vorausgegangen sei, sagten US-Vertreter. Augenzeugen hatten von Anfang an behauptet, die Soldaten hätten die Zivilisten kaltblütig erschossen. Die US-Armee hatte dagegen zunächst erklärt, die Menschen, darunter Frauen und Kinder, seien bei einem Bombenanschlag von Rebellen ums Leben gekommen.

Der Vorfall in Haditha wird in US-Medien inzwischen mit dem Massaker von My Lai in Südvietnam 1968 verglichen. Wie My Lai damals zählt Haditha im Irak heute zu den Städten, die von der US-Armee als hartnäckiges Widerstandsnest bezeichnet werden. In dem Gebiet rund 200 Kilometer westlich von Bagdad kämpfen vor allem sunnitische Aufständische gegen die von den USA unterstützte irakische Regierung.

 

Basra (Reuters) - Einen Tag nach der Verhängung des Notstandes im südirakischen Basra haben Polizisten und Soldaten mit verschärften Kontrollen versucht, für Sicherheit zu sorgen.

Augenzeugen berichteten am Donnerstag von Kontrollposten, die überall in dem Ort errichtet worden seien. Polizisten in der Innenstadt und Armee-Einheiten in den Außenbezirken würden jedes Fahrzeug anhalten und inspizieren. Dem zuständigen Polizeivertreter Ali Dschassem zufolge gibt es kontinuierliche Sicherheitspatrouillen in der Ölstadt am Golf. Die Nummernschilder aller Polizei- und Armeeautos würden in einem Computersystem registriert. Beobachter werteten dies als Zeichen dafür, dass Ministerpräsident Nuri al-Maliki Vorwürfen entgegentreten will, wonach bewaffnete Männer Fahrzeuge und Uniformen der Sicherheitskräfte für Entführungen und Tötungen nutzen.

Die erst vor knapp zwei Wochen vereidigte irakische Regierung hatte den Notstand über die Hafenstadt am Mittwoch verhängt. Regierungschef Maliki zufolge soll er zunächst für einen Monat gelten und dazu beitragen, dass wieder Ruhe und Ordnung einkehrt. Schon zuvor hatte er angekündigt, in Basra mit eiserner Faust gegen rivalisierende Milizen vorzugehen. Die Stadt sei das Tor zum Irak und dürfe daher nicht kriminellen Banden überlassen werden, betonte er in einem Interview der Nachrichtenagentur Reuters.

Anders als weiter nördlich gelegene sunnitische Landesteile galt die südliche, überwiegend von Schiiten bewohnte Region lange Zeit als vergleichsweise ruhig. Allerdings hat die Gewalt gerade in Basra zuletzt deutlich zugenommen. In der Stadt wird ein großer Teil des Ölhandels abgewickelt. Der Ort, rund 550 Kilometer von Bagdad entfernt, wird wie der gesamte Südirak von britischen Truppen kontrolliert.

 

BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- Iraq's Interior Ministry announced Thursday it had arrested its second "high-ranking terrorist" in a week.

Hamza Khair al-Aini, accused of killing dozens of Iraqi civilians and security forces, was hiding in the town of Abu Saydah north of Baghdad, where police said they caught him. They found a bloody saw and clothes in his hideout, the ministry said.

The ministry's statement did not say when the arrest took place.

The statement came a day after Iraq announced its forces had arrested Ahmed Hussein Dabash Samir al-Batawi, another "key terrorist," on Monday

Al-Batawi was involved in the March 2004 bombing of Karbala that killed more than 140 Iraqis, most of them Shiite pilgrims, according to Iraqi and U.S. military officials.

During his arrest, Iraqi forces from the Terrorist Combat Unit seized documents that listed potential attack targets.

U.S. military spokesman Maj. Gen. William Caldwell said the arrest "is very, very significant to us."

"We truly believe with his capture, that this will provide us some critical information as we continue trying to unravel the al Qaeda in Iraq network," Caldwell said.

Cabinet announcements due Sunday
Nearly two weeks after Iraq's parliament approved the country's new government, Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki said he will announce his nominations for the key posts of the Interior and Defense ministries during Sunday's Parliament session.

When the new Iraqi government was approved by the Parliament on May 20, the hope was that the Defense and Interior ministers could be filled within a week.

On Sunday, Iraq's deputy prime minister pleaded for understanding over the delay.

Salih said it "is a safe bet ... but not by any means a foregone conclusion" that the defense minister will be an Iraqi Sunni and the interior minister a Shiite.

Their ethnicity is critical, given that al-Maliki has vowed to disarm the militias loyal to Iraq's various ethnic groups -- one of the most difficult issues the new prime minister faces.

"The issue of organized armed groups who are acting outside the state and outside the law are becoming a serious problem for our politics and our society and we have to deal with it," he said.

On Wednesday, al-Maliki declared a one-month state of emergency in Basra, vowing to use an "iron fist" on criminal gangs blamed for an increase in violence in the southern Iraqi city. (Full story)

 

Umständen vermeiden, dass die Wahrheit an die Öffentlichkeit kommt und jetzt tut es ihnen plötzlich leid...diese Lügenbande!


BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- The U.S. military offered condolences on Thursday to relatives of 24 Iraqi civilians killed in Haditha last November in events that are now being investigated as possible murder by Marines.

"We mourn the loss of life. ... it is always very tragic and very unfortunate," U.S. military spokesman Maj. Gen. William Caldwell told reporters.

"But let me be very clear about one point: The coalition does not and will not tolerate any unethical and criminal behavior."

Military investigators strongly suspect that a small number of Marines snapped after one of their own was killed by a roadside bomb November 19 in Haditha, a city on the Euphrates River northwest of Baghdad, and went on a rampage, sources told CNN. (Watch for the new details revealed in the coroner's report -- 2:03)

The military is holding two investigations into Haditha -- one focusing on what happened and the other into why the truth about the deaths involving women and children did not emerge earlier.

Caldwell said the Naval Criminal Investigative Service was looking into allegations of criminal misconduct at Haditha, while the Multinational Corps-Iraq inquiry was looking into policies and procedures, concerning training and reporting.

The Washington Post on Thursday reported that the U.S. investigation into the aftermath of the killings is expected to say that some officers gave false information to superiors, who then did not check details.

A military source said it was evidence, including death certificates, indicating that many of the 24 civilians had been shot at close range that led to a full-scale criminal probe into the alleged massacre in March.

The Post said the promotion of Maj. Gen. Stephen Johnson -- the top Marine in Iraq at the time of the Haditha incident -- was being put on hold ahead of the results of the inquiry, which the newspaper says will be delivered to senior commanders by the end of the week

President Bush on Thursday said the Haditha allegations were "very troubling" to him personally as well as to the military.

He reiterated that the Marines would "get to the bottom of this" and, if necessary, hold people to account.

"The United States of America has got a willingness to deal with issues like this in an upfront, open way and deal with problems," Bush said.

Meanwhile, Iraq's government announced Thursday it will launch its own probe into the Haditha killings and seek talks with the U.S. military to set ground rules on raids and detentions, The Associated Press reported.

Separately on Thursday, Lt. Gen. Peter W. Chiarelli, Multi-National Corps-Iraq commander, ordered troops to undergo fresh training in legal, moral and ethical standards for the battlefield, in response to what the mayor of Haditha has called a "day of catastrophe."

"Of the nearly 150,000 coalition forces presently in Iraq , 99.9 percent of them perform their jobs magnificently every day," Chiarelli said in a statement.

"They do their duty with honor under difficult circumstances. They exhibit sound judgment, honesty and integrity. They display patience, professionalism and restraint in the face of a treacherous enemy. And they do the right thing even when no one is watching. Unfortunately, there are a few individuals who sometimes choose the wrong path."

Chiarelli's order to commanders to reinforce "core warrior values training" will include a slide presentation with examples that can be adapted to individual units.

The training packages, scheduled to be conducted over the next 30 days, will emphasize "professional military values and the importance of disciplined, professional conduct in combat, Iraqi cultural expectations and the second and third order effects of actions that are contrary to professional military values," the statement said.

Sources: Murder charges likely
The investigation is likely to result in murder charges against some Marines and dereliction of duty counts against others, sources told CNN.

The commander of the battalion involved in the incident has been relieved of his command, along with two company commanders.

CNN has learned the preliminary investigation was conducted by an Army colonel, Gregory Watt, who sources say questioned officers, including battalion commander Lieutenant Colonel Jeffrey Chessani and Kilo Company commander Captain Lucas McConnell, as well as Marines at the scene of the killings.

Rep. John Murtha -- an ex-Marine and Democrat critical of the Bush administration's handling of the war -- said the allegations could do worse damage to the U.S. war effort in Iraq than the 2004 revelations of torture at the U.S.-run Abu Ghraib prison.

 

LANDSTUHL, Germany (CNN) -- Correspondent Kimberly Dozier, who was critically wounded Monday in a Baghdad car bombing, has begun communicating, asking family members about the fate of her crew, CBS News said Thursday.

As doctors at the U.S. military's Landstuhl Regional Medical Center began reducing her sedation, "she began communicating with her family by writing questions on sheets of paper," the network said.

"Her first question was, 'What (happened to the) crew?' " according to a CBS News release.

Dozier, on a ventilator and a breathing tube, remained in critical but stable condition.

She was told that photographer Paul Douglas, 48, and sound technician James Brolan, 42, died in the attack, the network said. The crew's Iraqi interpreter and a U.S. soldier met the same fate. (Watch activity around the charred vehicle after the blast -- :46)

Dozier was expected to remain sedated and on a ventilator, probably until her predicted return to the United States at the end of the week, a CBS source said.

Dozier's parents, brother, sister and boyfriend arrived Wednesday at the hospital, CBS said. A hospital source said Dozier squeezed her boyfriend's hand.

The bodies of Douglas and Brolan, both British, were repatriated Thursday to London, where a private ceremony was held for the journalists' family, friends and colleagues, including CBS News President Sean McManus.

Douglas had worked since the early 1990s for CBS News in many countries, including Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Rwanda and Bosnia.

During the past year, Brolan worked for CBS News as a freelancer in Baghdad and Afghanistan. He was part of the network's team that received a 2006 Overseas Press Club Award for its reporting on the Pakistan earthquake.

Details about a public memorial service have not been announced.

 

Bagdad (Reuters) - Bei mehreren Bombenanschlägen in der irakischen Hauptstadt Bagdad sind am Donnerstag neun Menschen getötet und 43 weitere verletzt worden.

Wie aus Polizeikreisen weiter verlautete, ereigneten sich die Anschläge am südlichen Stadtrand nahe dem Unruhebezirk Dora. Die Zahl der Opfer werde wahrscheinlich noch steigen. Dora gilt als eine der Hochburgen der Gewalt in der Hauptstadt. Am Vortag waren bei einem Anschlag im selben Gebiet neun Menschen getötet und 17 weitere verletzt worden.

Sunnitische Rebellen versuchen im Irak mit Anschlägen, die von der rivalisierenden Gruppe der Schiiten geführte Regierung zu stürzen. Sunniten stellten unter dem entmachteten Herrscher Saddam Hussein die Führungsschichten in Staat und Gesellschaft, sehen sich aber im Nachkriegsirak zusehends an den Rand gedrängt.


 

des US-Militärs....und immer wieder dasselbe; erst wenn ein Video/Zeitungsbericht vorliegt, wird untersucht...ansonsten wird alles vertuscht und totgeschwiegen...


Nach dem Bekanntwerden des mutmaßlichen Massakers in Haditha hat die BBC ein Video ausgestrahlt, das auf eine weitere Gräueltat von US-Soldaten im Irak hindeuten könnte.

Nach Informationen des britischen TV-Senders, der das Material am Donnerstagabend ausstrahlte, handelt es sich um einen Vorfall vom März in der Stadt Ishaki, bei dem möglicherweise „elf unschuldige irakische Zivilisten“ getötet worden seien. Die US-Armee habe mitgeteilt, die Vorgänge würden untersucht.

Der BBC sei das Video, auf dem Tote Erwachsene und Kinder zu sehen sind, von einer den Koalitionstruppen feindlich gesonnenen extremistischen Sunnitengruppe zugespielt worden, hieß es. Das US-Militär und die irakische Polizei hätten unterschiedliche Darstellungen vom Geschehen gegeben.

Haus gesprengt, Frauen und Kinder erschossen?

Nach Angaben der Polizei umzingelten US-Soldaten am 15. März ein Haus in Ishaki etwa 100 Kilometer nördlich von Bagdad und erschossen dann bewusst die elf Menschen darin. Unter den Opfer seien fünf Kinder und vier Frauen gewesen. Schließlich hätten die US-Truppen das Gebäude gesprengt.

Dagegen berichteten die US-Streitkräfte, sie hätten nach einem Hinweis, demzufolge sich in dem Haus ein Unterstützer des Terrornetzwerkes El Kaida aufhalte, eine Militäroperation gestartet. Das Haus sei wegen des heftigen Schusswechsels eingestürzt. Dabei seien der Terrorverdächtige, zwei Frauen und ein Kind ums Leben gekommen.

USA untersuchen Blutbad von Haditha

Zurzeit wird bereits ein Vorfall in der irakischen Stadt Haditha untersucht. US-Marineinfanteristen sollen nach Zeugenaussagen am 19. November 2005 in dem rund 200 Kilometer nordwestlich von Bagdad gelegenen Ort ein Blutbad angerichtet haben, bei dem 24 Menschen, unter ihnen auch Frauen und Kinder, getötet wurden. Mit zwei Untersuchungen will das Pentagon jetzt klären, ob die Vorwürfe stimmen und ob die Marineinfanteristen mit Falschaussagen die Todesumstände der Iraker und ihre eigene Beteiligung vertuschen wollten. US-Präsident George W. Bush hat eine vollständige Veröffentlichung des Untersuchungsberichts zugesagt, sobald er fertig gestellt sei.
 

Dubai (Reuters) - Der Anführer der radikal-islamischen Al-Kaida im Irak, Abu Mussab al-Sarkaui, hat sich offenbar in einem neuen Tonband an seine sunnitischen Anhänger gewandt.

In der am Donnerstag im Internet veröffentlichten Botschaft rief ein Sprecher, der wie Sarkaui klang, die Sunniten des Golfstaates zu neuer Gewalt gegen "ungläubige" Schiiten auf. Die Echtheit der Aufnahme konnte zunächst nicht bestätigt werden. Die Botschaft wurde allerdings auf einer Internetseite gefunden, die wiederholt von irakischen Aufständischen genutzt worden ist.

"Bereitet Euch darauf vor, diese ungläubigen Schlangen und ihr Gift loszuwerden ... und hört nicht auf jene, die zu einem Ende der Gewalt zwischen den Religionsgruppen aufrufen", sagte Sarkaui demzufolge. Insbesondere der schiitische Geistliche Ajatollah Ali al-Sistani sei der "Anführer der Treulosigkeit und des Atheismus". Zudem warf Sarkaui den Schiiten Angriffe auf Sunniten vor. Er äußerte auch den Verdacht, die schiitischen Moslems selbst stünden hinter jenem Anschlag auf eine ihrer Moscheen im Februar, der eine neue Welle der Gewalt zwischen den Religionsgruppen ausgelöst hatte. Die Tonaufnahme erstreckt sich auf insgesamt drei Bänder und dauert rund vier Stunden.

Die erst vor knapp zwei Wochen vereidigte neue irakische Regierung unter Ministerpräsident Nuri al-Maliki hat es zu ihrem Ziel erklärt, der Gewalt in dem Land ein Ende zu bereiten und insbesondere die einzelnen Volksgruppen miteinander zu versöhnen. Maliki ist selbst Schiit und führt eine Koalition, in der neben Schiiten auch Sunniten, Kurden und säkulare Parteien vertreten sind.