Senator wants independent probe into alleged U.S. military slayings

By: Associated Press | Saturday, June 3, 2006 5:37 PM PDT ∞

LAS VEGAS -- Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid called for an independent investigation into the alleged slaying of 24 Iraqis by U.S. Marines ahead of a speech he will make to Congress on Monday.

In an interview with the Las Vegas Sun, Reid questioned the military's ability to conduct a fair investigation into the alleged massacre of two dozen civilians in Haditha, Iraq last fall.

"If there was a scandal at the Southern Nevada Water Authority, I don't think we'd want the Southern Nevada Water Authority telling us what they had done, to investigate the scandal," Reid said.

"It'd be better if they had an outside investigation, someone from the (district attorney's) office, the sheriff's department taking a look at that."

Reid also revealed a letter he sent to Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld inquiring into the massacre.

His letter asks Rumsfeld about delays in reporting and investigating the incident, about the progress of the investigation and about other possible incidents.

Reid said he was aware of at least one other alleged incident because of a soldier who contacted his office.

Defense Department spokeswoman, Lt. Col. Tracy O'Grady, said Rumsfeld would respond to the letter promptly.

According to U.S. lawmakers briefed by Pentagon officials, the deaths followed the killing of a U.S. Marine by a roadside bomb aimed at a military convoy the morning of Nov. 19. Angry Marines stormed nearby homes, killing occupants as well as the passengers of a taxi that arrived at the scene, the lawmakers said.

In addition to the Haditha case, U.S. authorities are investigating seven Marines and a Navy medic for possible murder, kidnapping and conspiracy charges in the April 26 shooting death of an Iraqi man in Hamandiya.

On Thursday, Iraq said it was launching its own probe into the Haditha killings, with Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki sharply criticizing the conduct of U.S. troops in Iraq.

Nevada Republican Party chair Paul Adams accused Reid of presuming guilt and using "potential troop misconduct for partisan advantage."

"He has no credibility on military matters," Adams said in a statement. "Democrats cannot be trusted on national security matters."

Reid said that in his speech on Monday he would take on Republicans for bringing up constitutional amendments on gay marriage and flag-burning that play well with conservatives while doing little on issues such as health care and the deficit.

The Associated Press reported that Reid had accepted free ringside boxing seats from the Nevada State Athletic Commission while considering legislation that would have affected that agency.

He eventually sided against the agency, voting for legislation that would have created a national boxing regulatory body that could usurp the state commission's authority.

Reid said he regretted taking the tickets. "In hindsight, it didn't look very good," he said.

"The opposition is cranked up, and I'm the target," he said. "I'm in the line of sight, and I didn't realize it would be as intense as it's been."

First name only. Comments including last names, contact addresses, e-mail addresses or phone numbers will be deleted. Attempts to misrepresent your identity or impersonate any person will not be approved. All comments are screened before they appear online, so please keep them brief. Comments reflect the views of those commenting and not necessarily those of the North County Times or its staff writers. Click here to view additional comment policies.