Gopher
Joined: 04 Jun 2005
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 Posted: Fri Jul 07, 2006 2:24 pm Post subject: Afghanistan: Canadian Soldier Clears Murder Probe |
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| Quote: |
OTTAWA, Canada (AP) -- Military police say a Canadian soldier who shot and killed a civilian at a Kandahar, Afghanistan, checkpoint acted lawfully and will not face charges.
Drastically conflicting accounts of the March 14 death of Nasrat Ali Hassan came from the soldier involved in the shooting and the family of the victim.
Hassan's widow and son say he received no warning to stop before a Canadian soldier fired shots at the motorized rickshaw he was riding in as he approached a checkpoint.
Canadian commanders rejected that claim.
Canadian and Afghan investigators working in Kandahar say the soldier involved acted lawfully and used appropriate force given the risk faced by troops in Afghanistan.
Afghans are warned through signs and radio ads to avoid military trucks and armored vehicles because of the threat of suicide attacks.
Suicide bombers have targeted Canadian military vehicles in the country several times.
The full report of the National Investigation Service, the arm of the Canadian military police that investigates such incidents, was not made public Friday.
But Capt. Mark Giles, a spokesman in Ottawa, said the report concluded that the soldier -- who has not been identified -- observed the proper procedures and rules of engagement.
He was "forced into making a split-second decision" as the rickshaw approached a group of Canadian troops and vehicles, Giles said.
The investigators say the soldier made a hand gesture to the driver to stop and shouted in the local dialect the words for "Stay back."
When the driver continued, the soldier feared a car bombing or other attack was imminent and fired three rounds, one of which hit Hassan in the abdomen. He died later in hospital. |
http://www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/americas/07/07/canada.afghan.ap/index.html |
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