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Al Qaeda in Haditha: The battle the media ignored
Defend Our Marines ^ | October 6, 2007 | Nathaniel R. Helms

Posted on 10/07/2007 8:08:46 AM PDT by RedRover

October 6, 2007 – Buried in the mountain of exhibits attached to the once secret Haditha, Iraq murder inquiry prepared by US Army Maj. Gen. Eldon A. Bargewell is an obscure Marine Corps intelligence summary (see pdf) that says the deadly encounter was an intentional propaganda ploy planned and paid for by Al Qaeda foreign fighters.

Veteran military defense attorney Gary Meyers said he never understood why the Naval Criminal Investigative Service special agents leading the Haditha criminal investigation didn’t "examine the linkage" between Al Qaeda, the local insurgency and the events at Haditha. Meyers was an attorney on the defense team that successfully defended Justin Sharratt, a Marine infantryman accused of multiple murders at Haditha.

The report – apparently overlooked by a Washington press corps awash in leaked Bargewell documents and secret Naval Criminal Investigative Service reports – shows that Marine Corps intelligence operatives were advised of the scheme to demonize the Marines by an informant named Muhannad Hassan Hamadi. The informant was snared by 3/1 Marines on December 11 2005 and decided to cooperate.

Planning a "massacre"

The attack was carried out by multiple cells of local Wahabi extremists and well-paid local gunmen from Al Asa’ib al-Iraq [the Clans of the People of Iraq] that were led by Al Qaeda foreign fighters, the summary claims. Their case was bolstered by Marine signal intercepts revealing that the al Qaeda fighters planned to videotape the attacks and exploit the resulting carnage for propaganda purposes.

Eleven insurgents involved in the attack are identified by name and affiliation in the details of the summary. All of them were killed or captured in the days immediately following the Haditha incident.

During the November Haditha battle, the insurgents secreted themselves among local civilians to guarantee pursuing Marines would catch innocent civilians in the ensuing crossfire. On January 6, 2006 six insurgents who tried to do the same thing at another location in Haditha were turned in to Coalition authorities before they could mount a similar assault, the report says.

On January 18, 2006, almost two months after the infamous Haditha attack, Iraqi insurgents identified as Talal Abdullah Yusif and Omar Ramsey “planned to attack a dismounted C[oalition] F[orces] patrol” along with four brothers named Khalif Muhammad Hassan.

It wasn't coincidental that brother Sa'ib Khalif Muhammad Hassan lived next to an Al Qaeda "safe house" destroyed on November 19 by Marine jets. Sa'ib had rented the house to the foreign fighters. That attack was stopped by local Iraqis and Sa'ib Hassan was arrested, the report says.

The summary also details the Marines finding three dead bodies near the Sub Hani Mosque after the November 19 fight was over. The dead men are described as “military-aged males” wearing “chest rigs.” Two of the decedents were “missing parts of lower torso.” The authors opined the victims were foreign fighters killed in one of the Marine bombings during the day-long combat.

Our media, the enemy within

The prosecutors in the case against eight Marines charged with murder and cover up at Haditha still maintain the besieged infantrymen acted solely out of malice and poor judgment when they killed 24 Iraqis there. The prosecution’s investigation was launched after a story by Time magazine reporter Tim McGirk on March 6, 2006 accused the Marines of cold blooded murder in retaliation for the death of a brother Marine.

McGirk received his video "evidence" and contacts from two known Iraqi insurgent operatives already under observation by Marine Corps counter intelligence teams. One of the Iraqi witnesses McGirk relied on had just been released from almost six months captivity for insurgent activities and the other witness was considered a useful intelligence tool by Marines listening to him talk on his cell phone. McGirk never interviewed the Marines, who ironically had prepared a similar intelligence summary in anticipation of his canceled visit.

Captured insurgents revealed plan to detonate IEDs

The summary – labeled "Bargewell Discovery" pages "001083" thru "001108" – was prepared by 3rd Battalion, 1st Marines using UAV images, statements obtained from the informants, and intelligence gleaned from captured insurgents to explain what happened. The information was detailed in 13 Draft Intelligence Information Reports (DIIR) from a Marine Humint Exploitation Team (HET) operating in the area.

The captured insurgents revealed the attack was planned in Albu Hyatt, a nearby town where numerous Marines have been killed and wounded since the beginning of the war. The two main elements of the attack were the IED-initiated ambush on Route Chestnut and two IED ambushes planned along the so-called River Road that parallels the Euphrates River about 1.5 kilometers north of the Chestnut location.

The prisoners claimed the multi-pronged assault on the Marines was intended to garner local support by discrediting the Marines among the civilian population. If the coordinated attack had gone off as planned all three IED ambushes would have been sprung on the patrolling Marines almost simultaneously, the prisoners said. The insurgents plan depended on the Marines aggressively responding to the assaults to create as much carnage as possible.

Marine patrolling along the River Road spotted two of the IEDs in time to avoid the danger. Marine Explosive Ordinance Demolition teams sent to disarm the devices were then ambushed by insurgents using small arms and rocket propelled grenades.

A US Air Force Predator Unmanned Aerial Vehicles orbiting the area subsequently launched a Hellfire missile attack on fleeing insurgents running through the palm grove. Other insurgents were tracked for more than four hours as they moved from house to house trying to escape the battlefield.

All of the intelligence data generated by the UAVs – including the mission reports, video, and internet messages between the UAV operators, 3/1, Regimental Combat Team 2, and Multi-National Force headquarters in Baghdad – was later seized by NCIS special agents. A Marine who was there said the NCIS agents told the UAV operators on duty at VMU-2 (the Scan Eagle squadron operating the aircraft over Haditha) that they would be interrogated as well, but it never happened, the operator said.

More than a year after the coordinated attack eight Marines from Kilo Company, 3/1 were charged with multiple murder and covering up the incident. Four Marines have subsequently been cleared on any wrongdoing and four more are still awaiting their fates.

"Anyone who tries to compare this event to My Lai is an absolute fool."

Almost four decades ago Meyers successfully defended a soldier accused of murder at My Lai, South Vietnam while he was a captain in the US Army JAG Corps. After Tim McGirk wrote his specious report claiming a squad of Marines massacred 24 civilians at Haditha the world press immediately compared the incident to the massacre at My Lai. The unwarranted comparisons still anger Meyers.

"From our perspective - from a legal perspective - we knew it was a kinetic event," said Meyers. "We knew enough to present to the IO (Investigating Officer) that this was not an isolated event; that the entire city was in a kinetic state that day. Anyone who tries to compare this event to My Lai is an absolute fool."

The 13 DIIRs were prepared by members of a Humint Exploitation Team identified as HET03. Marine HET units investigate and record local intelligence-worthy activities for interpretation and consumption by Intel officers trying to understand the enemy’s Tactics, Techniques & Procedures (TTP) as well as divine their intentions.

One of the DIIRs names five other insurgents involved in setting up the IED that killed LCpl Miguel "T.J." Terrazas. One of their number, Majid Salah Mahdi Farraji, was killed when Marine Corps F-18s bombed the so-called "safe house" were the battle migrated to after the initial IED ambush decimated Wuterich’s squad.


TOPICS: Extended News; Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: 296; alqaeda; defendourmarines; haditha; iraq; wot
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To: RedRover

http://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2007/10/investigating_officers_report.html

http://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2007/10/was_haditha_a_deliberate_propa.html


21 posted on 10/07/2007 9:50:40 AM PDT by the Real fifi
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To: Defiant; Just A Nobody; All
There's a collection of Murtha's own words on Haditha at the link. Spread it 'em around! Even Rush seemed hazy the other day about exactly what Murtha said. It's worse than most people remember.
22 posted on 10/07/2007 9:55:09 AM PDT by RedRover (DefendOurMarines.com)
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To: sauropod

read


23 posted on 10/07/2007 9:56:10 AM PDT by sauropod ("Nobody has time for your priceless prose. Get to the point." - Jim Michaels RIP 2007)
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To: bigheadfred
And if a hanging isn't possible, I'd settle for tar, feathers and a shove in the right direction...


24 posted on 10/07/2007 9:58:50 AM PDT by RedRover (DefendOurMarines.com)
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To: RedRover

You’ve got the “Palm grove” as being all the way down the river to the safe house. The “Palm grove” was off the detail to the north, near where the captions for it are in the unviewable PDF.

I do not believe the spots you have marked “3” are anywhere near the locaton of the events in what the reports call the “Palm Grove”.

Likewise, I don’t believe the “Second IED discovered” and “EOD team attacked by small arms fire to be anywhere near location “2”

Since the video is supposed to be time-coded perhaps you could provide the actual time of each of the captures that were posted relating to the “Palm grove” incidents and the drive south.


25 posted on 10/07/2007 10:02:59 AM PDT by RS ("I took the drugs because I liked them and I found excuses to take them, so I'm not weaseling.")
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To: brityank
...was this the presentation that was created for McGirk?

I couldn't say that with confidence. But it's the 3/1 would have told McGirk if he had bothered to show up for their meeting.

And this information was given to Gen Huck and others who saw no reason to investigate--and have been censured by the SECNAVY.

26 posted on 10/07/2007 10:03:52 AM PDT by RedRover (DefendOurMarines.com)
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To: the Real fifi

Fabulous! Thanks for the links! Clarice Feldman is one smart cookie and a terrific writer.


27 posted on 10/07/2007 10:05:56 AM PDT by RedRover (DefendOurMarines.com)
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To: RedRover

You forgot the Rail! It would add a little more aerodynamics and involve some group participation!


28 posted on 10/07/2007 10:10:49 AM PDT by bigheadfred (Thanks for the Anuerism RedRover)
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To: jazusamo
The NCIS and JAG prosecutors should be held accountable.

Held accountable by whom? By the same people who gave the NCIS and JAG prosecutors their marching orders to railroad some Marines for the Haditha hoax in order to do the politically correct thing "for the good of the Corps"? The same hack-politician officers and civilian leaders who have made an art form out of running scared from the liberal newsrooms?

Ain't gonna happen.

I long ago gave up on these scumbag ACLU prosecutors of JAG and their sleazy minions at Naval Service Investigative Criminals being "held accountable". They were given a mission, and (never thought I'd say this!) thank God these Marines were able to retain civilian lawyers.

29 posted on 10/07/2007 10:13:03 AM PDT by Lancey Howard
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To: RedRover

Thank you for posting this important bit of information!


30 posted on 10/07/2007 10:14:32 AM PDT by the Real fifi
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To: the Real fifi

Thanks for the links, fifi. I’m very glad to see Clarice Feldman pick up on this, she’s always right on the mark with her analysis of an event and being a good lawyer knows of what she speaks.


31 posted on 10/07/2007 10:17:54 AM PDT by jazusamo (DefendOurMarines.com)
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To: RedRover
Clarice Feldman is one smart cookie and a terrific writer.

Yes indeed.

32 posted on 10/07/2007 10:18:17 AM PDT by Lancey Howard
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To: RS

The caption for number 3 is misleading. I meant it to refer to River Road. I’ll correct. Thanks!

I may need your help with the video. I’ll post it in sections early next week.


33 posted on 10/07/2007 10:18:17 AM PDT by RedRover (DefendOurMarines.com)
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To: Lancey Howard

We both know the SECNAV is the only one who can do it and Winter isn’t going to, he’s already said that. Sadly, he probably won’t be replaced either.


34 posted on 10/07/2007 10:24:01 AM PDT by jazusamo (DefendOurMarines.com)
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To: RedRover

Never faithful Murtha bump!


35 posted on 10/07/2007 10:32:50 AM PDT by F-117A (Mr. Bush, have someone read UN Resolution 1244 to you!!!)
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To: jazusamo
If our Marines are not actively suing Big John and the news media they should. And the folks in Pennsylvania should toss Big John out of office, NOW.
36 posted on 10/07/2007 10:38:22 AM PDT by ANGGAPO (LayteGulfBeachClub)
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To: RedRover

From Powerline:The NYT could find only one person critical of brave Officer Ware’s report but ehy failed to disclose something about him (from Powerline):
“Actually, the Times cites just one expert who voices what is evidently the paper’s own disappointment at the collapse of the case against the Marines: Eugene R. Fidell, who is identified as “an expert in military law in Washington.” Mr. Fidell has the article’s money quote:

“It does surprise me to see that the killing of seven women and children by grenades and rifles, for the purposes of clearing structures, is being treated the way this investigating officer has treated it.”
Where did the Times go to find an expert who would articulate the house view of the Haditha killings? Well, to be fair, I think Mr. Fidell is indeed an expert on military law. He is also, however, married to Linda Greenhouse, the hyper-liberal reporter who covers the Supreme Court for the Times—a fact that the paper did not consider it necessary to mention. So the Times didn’t have to look far for an expert whose opinion would give the right conclusion to an article on how guilty Marines beat the rap.”


37 posted on 10/07/2007 10:50:25 AM PDT by the Real fifi
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To: RS

The picture above is corrected. Regarding numner two, we don’t have precise locations for every point in the timeline. The numbers are meant to go with specfic text—not the entire block.


38 posted on 10/07/2007 10:51:59 AM PDT by RedRover (DefendOurMarines.com)
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To: RedRover

Murtha’s a crab

I only say that because other words aren’t so nice.


39 posted on 10/07/2007 11:01:14 AM PDT by wastedyears (George Orwell was a clairvoyant.)
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To: brityank
This appears to be the same summary that was prepared for McGirk--that he wasn't interested in hearing--he had his own set of facts--FROM THE TERRORISTS!

McGirk received his video "evidence" and contacts from two known Iraqi insurgent operatives already under observation by Marine Corps counter intelligence teams. One of the Iraqi witnesses McGirk relied on had just been released from almost six months captivity for insurgent activities and the other witness was considered a useful intelligence tool by Marines listening to him talk on his cell phone. McGirk never interviewed the Marines, who ironically had prepared a similar intelligence summary in anticipation of his canceled visit.

The summary – labeled "Bargewell Discovery" pages "001083" thru "001108" – was prepared by 3rd Battalion, 1st Marines using UAV images, statements obtained from the informants, and intelligence gleaned from captured insurgents to explain what happened. The information was detailed in 13 Draft Intelligence Information Reports (DIIR) from a Marine Humint Exploitation Team (HET) operating in the area.

I would hope that the rest of the prosecuted Marines likewise sue Murtha, McGirk, and TIME.

YES! EVERY LAST ONE OF THESE DESPICABLE LIARS!

40 posted on 10/07/2007 11:09:56 AM PDT by Shelayne (NO running or relenting until the problem has been dealt with-decisively,systematically,permanently.)
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