Iraqi deaths evidence points toward murder by marines
A criminal investigation into the deaths of about two dozen Iraqi civilians points toward a conclusion that Marines committed unprovoked murders, a senior US defence official said today.
The Marine Corps initially reported the deaths were caused by a roadside bomb and ensuing firefight with insurgents.
The official said the evidence strongly indicates the killings last November were unjustified.
According to a congressional aide, lawmakers were told in a briefing yesterday that it appears as many as two dozen civilians were killed. They also were told that the investigation will find that “it will be clear that this was not the result of an accident or a normal combat situation.”
Another congressional official said lawmakers were told it would be about 30 days before a report would be issued by the investigating agency, the Naval Criminal Investigative Service.
