Sgt. ordered soldier to kill Iraqi civilian

[unhappycamper]

Sgt. ordered soldier to kill Iraqi civilian
By Bradley Brooks - The Associated Press
Posted : Friday Feb 8, 2008 20:43:44 EST

BAGHDAD — The former commander of an Army sniper team testified Friday that he ordered one of his soldiers to kill an Iraqi who had stumbled on their hiding place, saying that was the only way to ensure the safety of his men in hostile territory.

Sgt. Michael A. Hensley, who was a staff sergeant at the time of the killing last spring but was later demoted, gave his testimony on the opening day of a court-martial hearing a murder charge against Sgt. Evan Vela, of St. Anthony, Idaho.

Another member of the sniper unit testified the soldiers had been pushed to the brink of physical and mental exhaustion before the May 11 killing of Genei Nasir al-Janabi.

Hensley said that he and the other members of the sniper team had all fallen asleep, then awoke to find an Iraqi man squatting about three feet from them.

Hensley said he ordered the Iraqi to lie on the ground and was searching the man when he saw “military-aged men” who he thought were carrying weapons about 100 yards away.


Rest of article at: http://www.armytimes.com/news/2008/02/ap_soldiertrial_080208/