Cpl. Hassoun AWOL again

[Fred Pfeiffer]

RALEIGH, N.C. — Cpl. Wassef Ali Hassoun, the Marine who was once thought kidnapped in Iraq only to be charged later with desertion, has disappeared, Marine officials announced Wednesday.

Hassoun had been on leave with his family in West Jordan, Utah, when he was scheduled to return to Camp Lejeuneon Tuesday, military officials told FOX News. Hassoun's family said they do not know his whereabouts, and the military began notifying civilian law enforcement of his fugitive status.

The U.S. Marine Corps again listed Hassoun as a deserter on Wednesday. He had been charged in December with unauthorized leave following a five-month probe into his June disappearance from a U.S. military camp in Iraq.

The 24-year-old Utah resident went missing June 20, 2004, from his base in Fallujah. A few days later a videotape of him blindfolded and with a sword hanging over his head aired on Arab television, prompting fears he had been taken hostage by terrorists.

A group claiming they took Hassoun said he had been killed after being lured from the base by a love affair.

But in a bizarre twist, Hassoun turned up unharmed on July 8 at the U.S. Embassy in his native Lebanon. He claimed he had been captured by anti-American forces, but it was unclear how he had gotten to Beirut from Iraq.

"I did not desert my post," Hassoun told reporters after returning to the United States. "I was captured and held against my will by anti-coalition forces for 19 days. This was a very difficult and challenging time for me."

Hassoun, who had been working in Iraq as an Arabic translator, repeatedly denied he had deserted. "I would like to tell all the Marines as well as all those others serving in Iraq to keep their heads up and spirits high. Once a Marine, always a Marine, Semper Fi," Hassoun told reporters on July 19, invoking the Marine Corps motto, Latin for "always faithful."

But the mysteries clouding his disappearance in Iraq and re-appearance in Lebanon fueled an investigation by the Naval Criminal Investigation Service. On Dec. 9, he was charged with desertion.

Hassoun also faces charges of loss of government property and theft of a military firearm for allegedly leaving the Marine camp while still in possession of his service pistol, as well as theft and wrongful appropriation of a government vehicle.

Hassoun was then moved to Camp Lejeune, N.C. Sources told FOX News he had been allowed to go on leave to visit his family for New Year's. He was due back at noon on Tuesday.

Hassoun had been awaiting an Article 32 hearing, one of the first steps toward a possible court-martial in the military justice system.

The desertion count carries a five-year maximum prison sentence and the other counts carry 10-year maximums. If convicted, Hassoun also could be dishonorably discharged and ordered to forfeit his pay and allowances.

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This guy is a real loser. I can't believe that they let him go on leave in the first place.

[Toby M]

What a joke! The guy is probably back in Iraq by now...Ha ha ha!!!

[jinelson]

Now don't that just figure?

[Cole11]

This dirtbag put the lives of Marines in great danger because of his cowardice, and his true colors are once again showin through, i cant believe he used our beloved Title, to refer to himself. It sickens me to know that hes out there again, i hope they catch him and haul right back to Camp LeJuene, and add another count of UA to his charges

[JAG5150]

I would like to know what hair-brained zero decided that it was O.K. for this P.O.S. to go on leave? Too bad that we no longer shoot deserters during times of war. When this guy is finally caught I hope that they nail his sorry a$$ to the wall.
But then again he'll probably say that he was taken hostage by some radical kindergarten orginization and that he now suffers from P.T.S.D. What a bunch of B.S.

[TracGunny]

two posts on same subject:

http://www.leatherneck.com/forums/sh...threadid=18151

[Sparrowhawk]

Originally posted by TracGunny
two posts on same subject:

http://www.leatherneck.com/forums/sh...threadid=18151

That's cuss he took off twice, Gunny

LMAO

[Koble_USMC]

I hope that when he does get found, if he does get found, he experiences a horrific accident on his way back to the States. Appearently he forgot the oath he took. Nice integrity.

[Doc Crow]

I have to agree who would let this guy go on leave in the first place. Had to be at least a Col. or above that made that decision

[lucien2]

What disloyal scumbag friggin' ****bird waste of life loser! Belongs at Ft.Leavenworth!