Posted on 02/04/2005 5:56:57 PM PST by Indy Pendance
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) - Anti-Muslim bias prompted military officials to treat an AWOL Marine charged with desertion more harshly than others, the man's brother said in an interview with The Associated Press.
The pressure of the charge filed against Cpl. Wassef Ali Hassoun, coupled with an argument with his newlywed wife the day he was to return to his base, drove Hassoun to flee, said his brother, Mohamad.
Neither Mohamad Hassoun nor military officials know where to find the younger Hassoun, a Lebanese-born, naturalized American citizen. He failed to return to Camp Lejeune, N.C., on Jan. 5 - the second time the Marines have deemed him a deserter.
"Instead of them giving him medals and making him feel good about his service and what he was doing for his country, they gave him an Article 32," Hassoun said of the military court proceedings that are on hold against his brother until he is found.
"I think there is some kind of bias, yes," he said.
Mohamad Hassoun believes his brother's claim that he was kidnapped in Iraq last summer and held against his will before being released. Hassoun said the military charges are built on hearsay.
He said thousands of deserters have gone AWOL, but haven't shown up on the Naval Criminal Investigative Services' most wanted list like his brother.
All five people currently being sought by the military and featured on the NCIS Web site are charged with desertion.
Maj. Matt Morgan, a spokesman for the Camp Lejeune-based 4th Marine Expeditionary Brigade, denied that Hassoun was treated differently because of bias and said any action being taken against Hassoun is based on evidence, not religion.
Mohamad Hassoun declined to say whether he has spoken to his brother after the 25-year-old soldier failed to return to Camp Lejeune early last month after an authorized leave. He would only confirm that he spoke to Wassef Hassoun Dec. 29, when the Marine called from the Washington airport.
"He should come to defend himself and to face these charges," Mohamad Hassoun said. "Until the truth is known, no one should be jumping to conclusions."
Hell, he deserted once already!
Bias?
Hell, there isn't a "biased" bone in the entire USMC..
However, they are hell bent to punish deserters during time of war, in the war zone ---- and jerks that go AWOL while "under investigation"....
I could accept some very serious consequences for the little bastard......Muslim or not....but especially Muslim.
Semper Fi
Sister, if there was bias, your brother never would have been allowed to enlist in the first place.
Well, I'll jump to a conclusion nevertheless, and Mahmoud can bite his Arab a** if he doesn't like it.
A Musli soldier missing from his post in a Mohammedan country amidst a war against sick Mohammedan terrorists is of a little bigger concern than some Nancy-boy running in tears to Canada because a Hollywood adventure he was hoping for came to be a much more serious matter.
Yeah, right . . .
Just remember: islamic jihadist values don't stop at (either) border!
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