Afghans urge justice for US soldier accused of rampage
- 12 years ago
PLEASE NOTE: THIS EDIT CONTAINS CONVERTED 4:3 MATERIAL
A U.S. soldier is due to face a hearing on Monday (November 5), accused of killing Afghan villagers in a drunken rampage.
Sixteen civilians were gunned down here in Kandahar in March, in the worst slaughter by U.S. forces since the Vietnam War.
Staff Sergeant Robert Bales, pictured on the left, is accused of walking off an army base at night and opening fire on the villagers.
He now faces a military version of a preliminary hearing to determine whether there's evidence for a court martial.
A local tribal elder in Kandahar has joined calls for justice.
Haji Agha Lali Dastgeri urged the U.S. to deal a heavy punishment.
SOUNDBITE: PANJWAI TRIBAL ELDER, HAJI AGHA LALI DASTGERI , SAYING (Pashto):
"We already asked for a trial for the soldier who committed this crime. He should have been tried in Afghanistan and should have been punished with the death penalty."
The hearing is expected to last two weeks and will feature live video testimony from Afghan villages and soldiers.
A U.S. soldier is due to face a hearing on Monday (November 5), accused of killing Afghan villagers in a drunken rampage.
Sixteen civilians were gunned down here in Kandahar in March, in the worst slaughter by U.S. forces since the Vietnam War.
Staff Sergeant Robert Bales, pictured on the left, is accused of walking off an army base at night and opening fire on the villagers.
He now faces a military version of a preliminary hearing to determine whether there's evidence for a court martial.
A local tribal elder in Kandahar has joined calls for justice.
Haji Agha Lali Dastgeri urged the U.S. to deal a heavy punishment.
SOUNDBITE: PANJWAI TRIBAL ELDER, HAJI AGHA LALI DASTGERI , SAYING (Pashto):
"We already asked for a trial for the soldier who committed this crime. He should have been tried in Afghanistan and should have been punished with the death penalty."
The hearing is expected to last two weeks and will feature live video testimony from Afghan villages and soldiers.