Posted on 01/06/2005 6:46:01 AM PST by Former Military Chick
A Utah Marine, already charged with deserting his post in Iraq, was branded a deserter once again Wednesday afternoon by U.S. Marine Corps officials who said Wassef Ali Hassoun failed to return to duty after holiday leave.
Hassoun, instead of returning to Camp Lejune, N.C., apparently traveled to Canada then on to Lebanon, his birthplace, Pentagon authorities told NBC television Wednesday night.
However, Marine spokesman Maj. Matthew Morgan said the Marine Corps had not received confirmation to validate Hassoun's flight to Lebanon as of Wednesday night. He added that the Corps will be working with the FBI and the State Department to determine his whereabouts.
Also, it is likely that the Naval Criminal Investigation Service, which had investigated Hassoun's original desertion, will likely be brought back into the matter, he said.
Extradition will be left up to the State Department, he added. The United States has no formal extradition treaty with Lebanon, according to the department's Web site.
KSL-TV reported Hassoun may be headed to Lebanon to meet up with his brother, who is also believed to be there avoiding extradition. Court documents show that last January, Sami Hassoun was charged with using a false Social Security number.
According to those documents, Sami Hassoun never showed up in court to face those charges but instead returned to Lebanon, KSL reported.
Morgan said a notice to arrest Wassef Hassoun has been posted on the National Crime Information Center's database through the FBI. The database is used by nearly all law enforcement agencies across the United States to identify individuals who are wanted for law violations.
The news of Hassoun's latest disappearance comes just days before he was to face an evidentiary hearing at Camp LeJeune on charges of theft and desertion. Hassoun appeared in Camp LeJeune on Dec. 21, in what was expected to be the first of a three-day hearing, but the hearing was postponed after Hassoun requested time to secure a civilian defense attorney. The court postponed the hearing until Jan. 13.
Hassoun faces a possible maximum penalty of 10 years to life in prison for his June 19 disappearance from a Marine base in the Al Anbar province near Fallujah. A five-month investigation concluded that Hassoun left with his 9 mm military service pistol in a stolen Humvee.
On June 27, Hassoun appeared in a grainy video blindfolded with a sword held over his head on the Al-Jazeera Arabic television network. Hassoun's apparent capture sparked a small movement in Utah, where his brother and family live in West Jordan, in which people held vigils and offered prayers for Hassoun's safe return.
After several rumors of Hassoun's beheading, he showed up hundreds of miles away in his native country of Lebanon on July 8. Officials say Hassoun contacted the U.S. Embassy in Beirut to come and fetch him.
Marine officials said Hassoun's main duty was to be a truck driver. In fact, when he returned to duty at Camp LeJeune, Hassoun had been working as a dispatcher for a truck-driving division, even while facing charges.
But during the brief court hearing on Dec. 21, Marine officials disclosed that Hassoun's skills in speaking Arabic were used in an undercover intelligence operation known as a Human Exploitation Team in which Marines don civilian clothes, change their appearance and are then sent out among the civilian population to gather information.
The news of his involvement in intelligence has caused some twists in Hassoun's legal case, as many witnesses who were expected to be called to testify were undercover agents whose identities needed to be protected, according to Marine prosecutors.
Despite pending charges, Hassoun was granted holiday leave to visit his family in Utah. Morgan said Hassoun did arrive in Utah. A Deseret Morning News reporter saw Hassoun at the airport in Raleigh, N.C., the day after the Dec. 21 hearing waiting for his flight home.
Family spokesman Tarek Nosseir said the family told him Hassoun left Utah Dec. 28, traveling through Las Vegas because of flight delays. "He arrived on the 29th in Washington, D.C., and that's the last they have heard from him," Nosseir said.
Nosseir said the family was shocked to hear the news of the Marine Corps' call for Hassoun's arrest, adding the family believes Hassoun's cell phone battery may have died, putting him out of touch. "That's what they're hoping. The family is concerned and praying that he's safe and sound," Nosseir said.
Morgan said the military made attempts to contact Hassoun, and Hassoun's military defense attorneys have not heard from him, either. After waiting 24 hours past the time he was due to report for duty, the decision was made to list him as a deserter.
"Attempts were made to contact him and his family. Attempts to contact (Hassoun) were completely unsuccessful," Morgan said. "The family couldn't give his whereabouts. . . . As far as the military is aware, we have no idea of his whereabouts."
Morgan said the corps has considered that Hassoun may have tried to flee the country but added they have no indication of that at this time. Given Hassoun's naturalized citizenship and family in Lebanon, "I would say that anything is possible at this point."
Nosseir said an attempt to flee his post would be out of character for Hassoun. Having had lunch with him over Christmas, Nosseir said Hassoun appeared upbeat and confident that he was going to prove his innocence in military court. Hassoun, Nosseir said, maintained that he was abducted by insurgents while in Iraq.
"I mean he could have disappeared a long time ago while he was in Lebanon, but he didn't," Nosseir said, adding Hassoun has always indicated his determination to prove his innocence against the charge of desertion.
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E-mail: gfattah@desnews.com
When he first went missing, I gave him the benefit of the doubt, I mean, anything can happen while serving in Iraq. Frankly, as a Marine, I would have thought he would go kicking and screaming, allowing one of his brothers to hear his plight and take action. Then again, that is how I think Marines act, they are dedicated to their brothers, they would never do anything that would leave one of them behind and they can without a doubt count on each other's back.
So, when the marine finally reappeared, it seamed fishy. I mean, where was the guy, and how the hell did he leave Iraq? I mean come on, I bet a 2 year old could see through this.
Then he returned back to the states, waiting on the marine compound as they took a look at his case, his statements, if I am curious how can the investigators not be curious. Furthermore, his ID card and other personal properties were recovered in a very unique place, to me really casting doubt on his story.
So, why the hell did they not give this Marine an order, to remain on the marine camp until they finished their investigation. I certainly feel there was enough circumstantial evidence to put him at least under 24/7 barrack arrest. The guy had fled before, he would do it again.
They give him leave, the lucky ba*tard. They waved bye bye. Come on, how stupid was that. You know someone might have made some kind of political statement saying it would look bad for him to be under arrest due to his ethnicity, who the hell cares, he chose not to return to his movement, thumbing his nose at his fellow Marines, oh I say just let his fellow Marines to exact justice, and it would be swift and harsh.
This Marine is an embarrassment, I hope folks all over the world are keeping and eye out for him, I have some really nice accommodations for him up the street at Ft Leavenworth Prison.
How did a raving liberal get into the Marines???
He is probably hiding in one of the bussed anti-war rally lib-mobs we see on/in the MSM!!!!
If he's in Lebanon they need to ask the Mossad to lend a hand finding him.
Furthermore, his ID card and other personal properties were recovered in a very unique place, to me really casting doubt on his story.
As a former Marine I find this for lack of a better word... idiotic. How do you let this guy go on leave? He's deserted twice, they find his ID card in FALLUJAH, and they let him walk off on a 96? What is his command thinking? Next thing you know he will be another terrorist strapping a bomb to himself.
Rita Cosby on FoxNews is reporting this morning:
Capt. traced to Toronto, where he used ATM to withdraw $200, then $100.
Left, due to fight with wife. Wife's VISA is about to expire. Wife has since returned to Middle East.
Capt. may be in Tripoli, Libya, where he has relatives.
Syrians are after him too.
He may have been giving secret codes to captors when supposedly captured in Iraq.
[Whichever US military commander gave the OK for this guy to be on leave needs to be brought up on charges.]
He's an embarrassment?
The idiots who let him roam around loose on a Marine base, then gave him leave over Christmas - those are the ones who should be embarrassed!
That's almost criminal - allowing a person who is known or strongly suspected to sympathize with our enemies to run around loose - on a military base, yet!
They must have wanted him to run off, save them the embarrassment of a trial.
Or perhaps he will lead them to bigger fish?
I don't understand how the Marines handled this either.
Speaking as a former Marine the term deserter was only used when it was determined an individual, initially classified AWOL (absent without leave), had made it clear they had no intention of returning to the Marine Corps. Classifying the guy as a deserter, this early on, is a tad premature.
If we are so politically correct that even the Marine Corp isn't disciplining people correctly, it's probably time to worry about our country.
One word: Leavenworth
Where did they find his personal ID and passport?
Tom, will you post what you heard on Fox today?
Yes those were the items and where it was discovered. Should have tipped someone off.
Yes they were....the Marines should have ignored the pc nonsense in this guys case from the get go....the whole fake set-up, film, and travel itenerary and background on this guy, (remember Hassoun's imam in Utah was connected to radical groups here in U.S.)...this guy is a terrorist. Always has been
I guess he felt the sudden need to join the global jihad.
I agree someone should be accountable. I mentioned this to beloved (he is in the military) and from what he had read, he felt that they could not detain him, I think they could have but somethings may not be as they appear.
Yes they were....the Marines should have ignored the pc nonsense in this guys case from the get go....the whole fake set-up, film, and travel itenerary and background on this guy, (remember Hassoun's imam in Utah was connected to radical groups here in U.S.)...this guy is a terrorist. Always has been
I will have to respectfully disagree, whether you are Marine, Navy, Air Force or Army, the UCMJ is the same across all services.
Once he missed movement at the Marine camp, they I am sure classified him AWOL and changed it to deserter based on his previous actions and frankly based on what their investigation had dug up. He needs to have new accommodations, at the new Ft. Leavenworth Prison.
I've been wondering this for some time now. I'll hedge my bet on NIS being involved.
He did in comment 6.
I understand his wife is already in Lebanon. I'm guessing he may be there by now too.
Thanks. I scrolled right by it.
If I heard correctly on Fox, his atm transactions have been traced and some did in fact occur in Lebanon? I know there were a couple in Canada.
Polictical correctness be damned, why doesn't a country that can track an automobile by GPS have the intelligence to have had this guy under satellite surveillance 24/7 since he re-appeared in Lebanon?
Just who in the hell is guarding the henhouse around here in the USA?
Very fishy this whole topic.
"Wassef Ali Hassoun failed to return to duty after holiday leave."
I'm shocked! He may have just accidentally gotten on the wrong flight to Jihadiville.
That's what I've been thinking. Giving this guy Christmas
leave is impossible to believe. And if this were completely TRUE, WHY would anyone in charge release the info to the media? The fact that Rita Cosby had the
exclusive is enough to make me suspicious!
One more word: CASKET
Had to giggle, Leavenworth and casket, what a duo. It is just to bad that they decided to tear down the prison in the center of Ft Leavenworth. There are still a few portions still standing and one just stands in awe over it. The orginal disciplinary barracks was built by the sweat and brawn of military members when they indeed were punished by HARD LABOR. Oh the good old days.
Now the new prison is standing, it looks like a college campus. Really it does, there is no longer hard labor.
Hassoun is a corporal.... not a captain....
Regards...
Don't get me started on prisons!
That was my initial reaction as well. There are not a whole lot of other viable explanations.
This may be a fancy witness protection scheme in order to save his family or put somebody into deep cover, it may be payback for false info that got 4 Marine snipers killed,it could be way to flip a double agent... then it could be just a case of desertion.. it's all a mystery and we'll never find out the whole story, at least not until a book comes out.
Even if he's "caught" goes to trial and is sent to Marion or Leavenworth we'll never know all the background on this story. It sounds like a plot from a Ludlum novel....
of course this is only my opinion and I could be wrong.
I agree... I think this is a "spooky" thing.
[Whichever US military commander gave the OK for this guy to be on leave needs to be brought up on charges.]
He, she or they will be.
We should send a sniper after his ass. This kind of thing breeds bad stuff.
I think you are correct.
They might be seeing who he goes running to.
Any word on what happened to this guy? I googled and found nothing.
This is not the Marine Corps' finest moment.
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