LOS ANGELES (AFP) — A third US Marine has been charged with murdering a prisoner during fierce fighting in the Iraqi town of Fallujah four years ago, military officials said Tuesday.
Sergeant Ryan Weemer has been charged with murder and dereliction of duty following a report by the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, the US Marines announced from their base at Camp Pendleton near San Diego, California.
The charges relate to Weemer's alleged involvement in the death of a detainee in Fallujah on November 9, 2004.
Another Marine from Weemer's unit, Sergeant Jermaine Nelson, was charged with murder last year in connection with the death of a detainee.
A third soldier, Jose Nazario, is being tried in civilian courts in California on manslaughter charges in connection with the shooting deaths of two Iraqi prisoners. Nazario, who denies the charges, is awaiting trial.
While few details about the Fallujah case have been revealed by the military, media reports said Marines shot dead several Iraqi prisoners during the battle for the city.
Newspaper reports have said as many as eight insurgents were shot dead after being captured. Under military law, the killing of a captured enemy combatant who does not pose a threat is treated as murder.
The probe is the third high-profile war crimes case involving Marines from the corps' Camp Pendleton base.
Four Marines face charges ranging from manslaughter to dereliction of duty in connection with the killing of 24 Iraqi civilians in the town of Haditha in November 2005.
In a separate investigation, seven Marines and a Navy medic have faced charges over the murder of an Iraqi in the town of Hamdania in April 2006.
Copyright © 2009 AFP. All rights reserved. More »
