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thedrifter
08-31-07, 03:23 PM
NCIS finishes probe of ousted spec ops unit
By Trista Talton - Staff writer
Posted : Friday Aug 31, 2007 14:57:10 EDT

http://www.marinecorpstimes.com/xml/front/marine_marsoc_seal.JPG

JACKSONVILLE, N.C. — A Naval Criminal Investigative Service investigation into the actions of a Marine special operations company pulled from Afghanistan in March has been forwarded to Marine Corps Forces Central Command for review.

“MarCent has it, and the staff judge advocate is reviewing it,” said Lt. Col. Sean Gibson, a MarCent spokesman.

The staff judge advocate will determine a course of action, then forward the recommendation to Lt. Gen. Jim Mattis, I Marine Expeditionary Force commanding general and MarCent commander.

A preliminary investigation found that as many as 40 Afghan civilians were killed or wounded by Marines following the March 4 ambush of a Marine convoy in Afghanistan’s Nangarhar province.

The attack involved 30 Marines in six vehicles. Lawyers for several members of the company maintain their clients responded to small-arms fire after the ambush.

Following the incident, however, all 120 Marines in the company were pulled out of Afghanistan, and the company commander and senior enlisted adviser were relieved and sent home, along with six other Marines from the company.

NCIS launched its investigation earlier this year at the request of Army Lt. Gen. Frank Kearney, who was then a two-star heading Special Operations Command-Central Command and ordered the Marines out of Afghanistan.

Kearney said the preliminary investigation turned up no evidence that the spec-ops platoon came under small-arms fire, despite the Marines’ reports of taking enemy fire and seeing people with weapons.

Ellie

Zulu 36
08-31-07, 07:09 PM
Oh boy, NCIS investigated. Now everyone in the unit will be charged with conspiracy to assassinate President Lincoln.