U.S. Sergeant Charged With Killing Two Iraqi Civilians

By Darrin Simmons
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

BAGHDAD, Iraq-A United States army soldier has been charged with two counts of premeditated murder over the deaths of two Iraqi civilians.  Sergeant Michael Barbera will face a hearing dealing with the deaths that occurred on March 6, 2007.

A U.S. soldier is facing charges over the death of two Iraqi civilians in 2007 (photo courtesy of The Guardian)

Barbera was charged last Wednesday while stationed at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Alaska.  Accusations of these killings first came to light last December when a Pittsburgh Tribune-Review investigation published its article.

The report claimed that Sergeant Barbera was ordered by his team leader to kill two teenage cattle herders for the belief that they were insurgents operating out of a nearby farm, and a third boy later walking towards.  However, the two boys were brothers, age 15 and 14, were both deaf and unarmed.  None of the three boys had any ties to the insurgency.

According to the Tribune-Review, members of Sergeant Barbera’s squad reported the killings to Army investigators but no actions were taken.  Frustrated at the lack of action, several squad members approached the newspaper with the story.

Of the three deaths, Sergeant Barbera is only being charged with two deaths.  Authorities have yet to release the names of the two people that Sergeant Barbera is accused of killing.

Sergeant Barbera is facing an Article 118 premeditated murder charge with two specifications of murder, and an Article 134 charge of two specifications of conduct prejudicial to order and discipline.

At the time of shooting, Sergeant Barbera was assigned to the 5th Squadron, 73rd Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division.  He is currently assigned to the 1st Squadron, 40th Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 25th Infantry Division at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson.

He now awaits an Article 32 investigation hearing to determine whether he will face a court-martial.  The hearing is scheduled to take place at the Joint Base Lewis-McChord near Tacoma, Washington, the same site of the trial for Army Staff Sgt. Robert Bales who was sentenced to life in prison without parole after pleading guilty to killing 16 Afghan civilians.

For more information, please see the following: 

Al Jazeera-US soldier charged with murdering Iraqis-16 November 2013

Guardian-US soldier charged with murder over deaths of two Iraqi civilians-16 November 2013

Huffington Post-Michael Barbera, U.S. Soldier, Charged With Murder In Iraq War Killings-16 November 2013

Los Angeles Times-U.S. soldier charged with murder in killing of two Iraqi civilians-16 November 2013

 

Greek Guerrilla Group Claims Responsibility for Murders of Two Golden Dawn Supporters

by Tony Iozzo
Impunity Watch Reporter, Europe

ATHENS, Greece – A rising group known as the “Militant People’s Revolutionary Forces” has claimed responsibility for the murder of two supporters of Greece’s Golden Dawn party earlier this month.

The group stated the murders were in retaliation for Fissas’ murder back in September. (Photo courtesy of Ekathimerini)

The Militant People’s Revolutionary Forces, an anti-establishment group, released an eighteen-page letter on Saturday claiming that it conducted a drive-by shooting that left two members of the Golden Dawn party dead outside the Party’s offices.

The group stated that the murders were conducted to retaliate for Golden Dawn’s alleged involvement in the murder of activist-rapper Pavlos Fissas back in September. A Golden Dawn supporter had confessed to the murder, but the Party itself has denied any involvement in Fissas’ death.

“The brazen murder of Pavlos Fissas was the drop of blood that made the glass overflow. The armed attack-response … is the starting point of the people’s campaign to send the neo-Nazi scum of Golden Dawn where they belong, to the dustbin of history,” the Militant People’s Revolutionary Forces’ letter stated. The letter was published on the news website www.zougla.gr, though the authenticity of the letter has not been validated by police.

Amidst the murder of the two Golden Dawn supporters, Greece has seen a growing public angst against Golden Dawn, which is widely regarded as “neo-Nazi” and frequently accused of attacks against migrants and left-wing activists.

Golden Dawn’s leader, Nikolaos Mihaloliakos, and five additional Golden Dawn leaders were recently charged with “belonging to a criminal group”, as the Greek government has cracked-down on the party due to the public furor surrounding Fissas’ murder.

The party, Greece’s third most popular according to surveys, had lost nearly a third of its support after Fissas’s death this past September, even though the party denies accusations of all violence and rejects its neo-Nazi label. An opinion poll that was also released on Saturday indicated that support for Golden Dawn had subsequently increased since its two supporters were murdered in retaliation.

The poll by ALCO released in the Proto Thema newspaper, conducted from November 12 to 15, put support for Golden Dawn at 8.8 percent, up 2.2 points in a month, but still below the 10.8 percent it enjoyed in June.

For more information, please see:

The Independent – Previously Unknown Greek Group Claims Responsibility For Golden Dawn Shootings – 17 November 2013

New York Times – Guerrilla Group Says It Killed Two From a Greek Extremist Party in an Athens Suburb – 17 November 2013

Ekathimerini – New Urban Guerrilla Group Claims Murders of Golden Dawn Members – 16 November 2013

Reuters – Greek Militant Group Claims Golden Dawn Killings – 16 November 2013

Former Argentine Army Officer Accused of Human Rights Violations Escapes from Security Forces

By Ellis Cortez
Impunity Watch Reporter, South America

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina – A former Argentine army officer accused of committing crimes against humanity during the 1976-83 military dictatorship has escaped while in transit to a court in Buenos Aires.

Wanted poster form the Argentine Justice Ministry
Lawless handed himself in to police in 2009 after a reward for his capture had been offered. (Photo Courtesy of BBC)

Alejandro Lawless, 66, fled at midday from a police van outside a court building where he was being taken to along with other prisoners. Airport Security Police said they were temporarily distracted by escorting other prisoners to the court house. Lawless, who was not wearing handcuffs, took advantage of their distraction and escaped.

Lawless was an engineer who had served as a lieutenant-colonel in the army. He was found guilty in 2010 for his involvement in kidnapping, torturing and killing political opponents of the government between 1976 and 1983.The charges he faces entail his time working in the Navy and the Command Corps V of the Army.

Investigations into human rights abuses committed under the military regime have led to the imprisonment of key figures of the military junta, including that of Gen Jorge Rafael Videla who died in prison earlier this year while serving a life sentence.

Lawless is the third convicted military officer to escape from custody this year. The others were Jorge Olivera and Gustavo De Marchi who broke out of a military hospital in July and are still on the run. Seven staff members were relieved of their duties following their escape.

Estela de Carlotto, head of the Grandmothers of  Plaza de Mayo, a human rights organization, expressed dismay at his escape. “It is negligence or, to think the worst, complicity. This is serious, it will have to be investigated and those responsible sanctioned,” Estela de Carlotto told reporters.

An estimated 30,000 people were killed during the seven years of military rule in a campaign against perceived dissidents known as the Dirty War.

For more information please see:

Buenos Aires Herald – Carlotto says repressor Lawless escaped with ‘complicity’ – 13 November 2013

The Argentina Independent – Former Army Officer Escapes Custody on way to Tribunales – 13 November 2013

BBC – Jailed Argentine ex-army officer Alejandro Lawless escapes – 13 November 2013

Global Post – Jailed former Argentine army officer Alejandro Lawless escapes – 13 November 2013

La Nacion – Se fugó un ex militar procesado por delitos de lesa humanidad – 12 November 2013