Breaking: Utah Marine (Hassoun) who went missing in Iraq charged with desertion

Salt Lake Trib ^ | 12/09/2004 03:57 PM | Derek P. Jensen

[Former Military Chick]

Marine Cpl. Wassef Ali Hassoun of West Jordan, who has been the subject of a five-month investigation into his June disappearance from a U.S. military camp near Fallujah, Iraq, has been charged with desertion by the U.S. Marine Corps.

Hassoun, 24, will also be charged with loss of government property and theft of a military firearm for allegedly leaving his post still in possession of his 9mm handgun, as well as theft of wrongful appropriation of a government vehicle, according to officials at Camp Lejeune, N.C.

Hassoun remains on duty at Camp Lejeune and has not been taken into custody.

Contacted Thursday afternoon, a Hassoun family member said he was "shocked" by the announcement.

Details about how the Utah Marine showed up in a purported hostage video before later appearing as a free man in Lebanon were not released.

If found guilty of desertion, Hassoun could face a dishonorable discharge, forfeiture of pay and allowances, and five years confinement for each specification.

Hassoun will be assigned military defense counsel to represent him, and has the right to be represented by a civilian attorney of his choice at no expense to the United States.

[Former Military Chick]

For those that would like more info here are some links. Sorry format isn't better.

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Cpl. Wassef Ali Hassoun at U.S. Embassy in Beirut

By Chris Short - 08 Jul 2004 - 1320

Fox News advises:
"The U.S. Marine who was feared kidnapped by terrorists in Iraq has turned up safe and in good health at the U.S. Embassy in Beirut, the Pentagon said Thursday."

CNN reports:
"Hassoun, who is of Lebanese descent, arrived at the embassy at 6 p.m. (11 a.m. ET), two U.S. sources said."

MSNBC is stating:
"He was said to be in good health and the State Department said he was talking with U.S. officials. 'We were able to go get him,' State Department spokesman Richard Boucher said, without elaborating."

Reuters is bringing this to the table:
"'He is at the U.S. Embassy in Beirut, Lebanon. He is safe. He appears to be healthy. We're working through the details of what the next steps are,' said a U.S. defense official at the Pentagon, speaking on condition of anonymity."

Well. I'm sure this isn't the last we're going to hear about Cpl. Wassef Ali Hassoun but at least it's nice to know he's safe.

If this whole thing was a hoax he's screwed and probably going to Fort Leavenworth for a long time.

If it can be proven that this was a real kidnapping then he will probably be treated as POW and be offered an early out of the Marine Corps and some form of benefits (like Jessica Lynch).

Comments

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[processing please hold]

Bookmarked, thanks.

[Former Military Chick]

My beloved is stationed at Ft Leavenworth, perhaps we will give him a nice welcome ...NOT! He will have a nice new jail cell though, you have to see the new prison, looks like a campus, will take some photo's next time on Post. The old one, which was made of brick by brick, is now all but history. Will see if I can get a few photo's of that one.

Hard Labor folks ... very HARD LABOR.. what he put his fellow Marines through ... oh you have no clue of the words I am thinking and not typing, my parents raised me with some manners ... please please cant I say them. :)

[processing please hold]

I'm sure there's an honor code in military prisons too. I hope they treat traitors as badly as a regular prison treats child molesters.

[No Longer Free State]

They found his ID, his passport, his uniform.

Big question: Why did he leave his installation with his passport? He absolutely doesn't need one in Iraq.

[No Longer Free State]

Hassoun remains on duty at Camp Lejeune and has not been taken into custody.

For what reasons??

Standards for pre-trial confinement in the military are actually pretty high. His command has to prove either he's a flight risk (tough to do when he turned himself in once he got to Lebanon), or that he's a threat to himslef or others.

[pepperdog]

Big surprise--not~!!

[BigSkyFreeper]

Yep. This is the Marine that went missing and landed in Lebanon with his family. Part of me thought he was a gutless worm and wanted an easy way out of serving, and the other part of me thought he was working with the terrorists. It was no coincidence that he was the only person freed at the hands of the terrorists.

[Jackal007]

To all as well...The penalty for desertion in a combat zone, IS death. Interestingly enough, an officer can pull out his trusty sidearm and summarily execute a soldier who disobey's a direct order or who attempts to desert IN COMBAT...doesn't happen often, but it is lawful.

[RaceBannon]

around the time of his initial disappearance, there was a sniper team found dead. It was a day or two after he left, or the actual day he left.

Many here thought it was a sign of his treason, that he turned in some Marines to prove he was not fighting Iraqi's anymore or something.

I was an original accuser of this Marine, but then I got an e-mail from an Old Marine I served with who kept in touch with some other Old Marines from Quantico. Quantico SERE people said that Hassoun's story was legit, and I publically apologized for calling him a traitor.

For the Military's story to change, something profound has been learned, that is my opinion. This guy sounds like a traitor again.

But I will hold off on saying that this time...until the trial...

[RaceBannon]

I am wondering if it was disinformation.

[kingsurfer]

To all as well...The penalty for desertion in a combat zone, IS death. Interestingly enough, an officer can pull out his trusty sidearm and summarily execute a soldier who disobey's a direct order or who attempts to desert IN COMBAT...doesn't happen often, but it is lawful.

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Can you imagine the liberal outcry if that happened?

The Guardian would have its news story of the year there!

[TMSuchman]

He will probably be charges with dissertation in the face of the enemy. That charge is a capital crime, not including if he had helped the terrorist, that is treason, both carry the death penalty. The life expectancy on a military death row is 2 years.

[semaj]

around the time of his initial disappearance, there was a sniper team found dead. It was a day or two after he left, or the actual day he left.

I hope you're wrong Race, but something tells me to trust your initial instincts on this one. It's not likely that the entire snipre team would be taken out in such quick order without some kind of ruse.

[LibKill]

I always thought that his story did not pass the laugh test.

Shooting is too noble for traitors. Hanging is more appropriate.