thedrifter
07-01-05, 05:04 PM
Marines 'gun down unarmed civilian'
From correspondents at the United Nations
The Australian
02jul05
IRAQ'S UN ambassador today accused US marines of firing at and killing his cousin in cold blood during a house raid near the western town of Haditha on June 25.
Ambassador Samir Sumaidaie, a supporter of the United States, said Mohammed al-Sumaidaie, the son of his first cousin, was shot by marines during a raid at his father's house in the village of Al-Shaikh Hadid, near a US military base at the Haditha Dam.
"All indications point to a killing of an unarmed innocent civilian - a cold-blooded murder," Mr Sumaidaie said.
He called for an investigation into the killing, saying outrage over the incident could jeopardise public support for the US-led reconstruction of Iraq.
The US military said in a statement from Iraq that the events described in the allegations "roughly correspond to an incident involving coalition forces on that day in that general location".
"We take these allegations seriously and will thoroughly investigate this incident to determine what happened," said Major General Stephen T Johnson.
Ellie
From correspondents at the United Nations
The Australian
02jul05
IRAQ'S UN ambassador today accused US marines of firing at and killing his cousin in cold blood during a house raid near the western town of Haditha on June 25.
Ambassador Samir Sumaidaie, a supporter of the United States, said Mohammed al-Sumaidaie, the son of his first cousin, was shot by marines during a raid at his father's house in the village of Al-Shaikh Hadid, near a US military base at the Haditha Dam.
"All indications point to a killing of an unarmed innocent civilian - a cold-blooded murder," Mr Sumaidaie said.
He called for an investigation into the killing, saying outrage over the incident could jeopardise public support for the US-led reconstruction of Iraq.
The US military said in a statement from Iraq that the events described in the allegations "roughly correspond to an incident involving coalition forces on that day in that general location".
"We take these allegations seriously and will thoroughly investigate this incident to determine what happened," said Major General Stephen T Johnson.
Ellie