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U.S. army killed unarmed Iraqis in defiance of law, war-dodger hearing told
Colin Perkel
Canadian Press
Wednesday, December 08, 2004
TORONTO (CP) - A former United States
marine told a refugee hearing for an American
war dodger Tuesday that trigger-happy U.S.
soldiers in Iraq routinely killed unarmed
woman and children, and murdered other
Iraqis in violation of international law.
In chilling testimony intended to bolster the
asylum claim of compatriot Jeremy Hinzman,
former staff sergeant Jimmy Massey
recounted how nervous soldiers trained to
believe that all Iraqis were potential terrorists
often opened fire indiscriminately.
"I was never clear on who the enemy was,"
Massey, 33, told the hearing.
"If you have no enemy or you do not know who
the enemy is, what are you doing there?"
On several occasions, his soldiers pumped
hundreds of bullets into cars that failed to stop
at U.S. military checkpoints, killing all
occupants - who were later found to be
unarmed, Massey said.
On another occasion, marines reacted to a
stray bullet by killing a small group of unarmed
protesters and bystanders, said Massey, who
said he suffers from nightmares and
post-traumatic stress disorder.
"I was deeply concerned about the civilian
casualties," he said.
"What they were doing was committing
murder."
Massey's statements echoed earlier
testimony from Hinzman, who says he fled the
U.S. military because he believed the invasion
of Iraq was illegal, and any violent acts he
committed there would be unconscionable.
"This was a criminal war," Hinzman said.
"Any act of violence in an unjustified conflict is
an atrocity."
Hinzman, 26, deserted his regiment in January
just days before being deployed to Iraq, and
fears he will be unfairly court-martialled if
returned to the United States.
Hinzman told the Immigration and Refugee
Board hearing that the U.S. military regarded all Arabs in the Middle East - Iraqis in particular - as
potential terrorists to be eliminated.
"We were referring to these people as savages," Hinzman testified.
"It fosters an attitude of hatred that gets your blood boiling."
While a federal government lawyer said U.S. deserters often get about a year in jail, Hinzman
countered he would be treated more harshly because of his views on the Iraq war.
"Serving even one day in prison for refusing to comply with an illegal order is too long," Hinzman
said.
"I would be prosecuted for acting upon a political belief . . . for refusing to do something that was
wrong."
A Washington Post reporter covering the hearings said Americans are extremely sensitive to
Hinzman's request for asylum because of parallels to the Vietnam War.
"There's a great deal of worry that Iraq is beginning to look a little like Vietnam," said Doug Struck.
"Americans are very worried when their servicemen start saying, 'No, we're not going to go.' It sends
alarms off."
Hinzman, whose only prior knowledge of Canada came from CBC radio broadcasts, admitted it is
seemingly "preposterous" for an American to seek asylum in Canada.
He said he chose to go public with his claim to head off any possibility of being quietly sent home.
"I felt that (Canadian) authorities could say, 'You are an American. What the hell are you doing? Go
back.' "
Hinzman's lawyer, Jeffry House, said Canada has allowed deserters from other countries to stay
and compared Hinzman's situation to that of the former Soviet Union.
"People used to be prosecuted for their political opinions and activities," House said in an interview.
"That was persecution. It is fundamentally wrong."
Hinzman enlisted voluntarily for four years in November 2000. He was a crack infantryman with the
82nd Airborne Division based in Fort Bragg, N.C., until he deserted after his application as a
conscientious objector failed.
Brian Goodman, who is chairing the three-day hearing that ends Wednesday, indicated he will likely
decide Hinzman's claim early in the new year.
© The Canadian Press 2004
Colin Perkel
Canadian Press
Wednesday, December 08, 2004
TORONTO (CP) - A former United States
marine told a refugee hearing for an American
war dodger Tuesday that trigger-happy U.S.
soldiers in Iraq routinely killed unarmed
woman and children, and murdered other
Iraqis in violation of international law.
In chilling testimony intended to bolster the
asylum claim of compatriot Jeremy Hinzman,
former staff sergeant Jimmy Massey
recounted how nervous soldiers trained to
believe that all Iraqis were potential terrorists
often opened fire indiscriminately.
"I was never clear on who the enemy was,"
Massey, 33, told the hearing.
"If you have no enemy or you do not know who
the enemy is, what are you doing there?"
On several occasions, his soldiers pumped
hundreds of bullets into cars that failed to stop
at U.S. military checkpoints, killing all
occupants - who were later found to be
unarmed, Massey said.
On another occasion, marines reacted to a
stray bullet by killing a small group of unarmed
protesters and bystanders, said Massey, who
said he suffers from nightmares and
post-traumatic stress disorder.
"I was deeply concerned about the civilian
casualties," he said.
"What they were doing was committing
murder."
Massey's statements echoed earlier
testimony from Hinzman, who says he fled the
U.S. military because he believed the invasion
of Iraq was illegal, and any violent acts he
committed there would be unconscionable.
"This was a criminal war," Hinzman said.
"Any act of violence in an unjustified conflict is
an atrocity."
Hinzman, 26, deserted his regiment in January
just days before being deployed to Iraq, and
fears he will be unfairly court-martialled if
returned to the United States.
Hinzman told the Immigration and Refugee
Board hearing that the U.S. military regarded all Arabs in the Middle East - Iraqis in particular - as
potential terrorists to be eliminated.
"We were referring to these people as savages," Hinzman testified.
"It fosters an attitude of hatred that gets your blood boiling."
While a federal government lawyer said U.S. deserters often get about a year in jail, Hinzman
countered he would be treated more harshly because of his views on the Iraq war.
"Serving even one day in prison for refusing to comply with an illegal order is too long," Hinzman
said.
"I would be prosecuted for acting upon a political belief . . . for refusing to do something that was
wrong."
A Washington Post reporter covering the hearings said Americans are extremely sensitive to
Hinzman's request for asylum because of parallels to the Vietnam War.
"There's a great deal of worry that Iraq is beginning to look a little like Vietnam," said Doug Struck.
"Americans are very worried when their servicemen start saying, 'No, we're not going to go.' It sends
alarms off."
Hinzman, whose only prior knowledge of Canada came from CBC radio broadcasts, admitted it is
seemingly "preposterous" for an American to seek asylum in Canada.
He said he chose to go public with his claim to head off any possibility of being quietly sent home.
"I felt that (Canadian) authorities could say, 'You are an American. What the hell are you doing? Go
back.' "
Hinzman's lawyer, Jeffry House, said Canada has allowed deserters from other countries to stay
and compared Hinzman's situation to that of the former Soviet Union.
"People used to be prosecuted for their political opinions and activities," House said in an interview.
"That was persecution. It is fundamentally wrong."
Hinzman enlisted voluntarily for four years in November 2000. He was a crack infantryman with the
82nd Airborne Division based in Fort Bragg, N.C., until he deserted after his application as a
conscientious objector failed.
Brian Goodman, who is chairing the three-day hearing that ends Wednesday, indicated he will likely
decide Hinzman's claim early in the new year.
© The Canadian Press 2004
