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| US Marine 'shot unarmed Iraqis' | |
| (31 minutes later) | |
| A US Marine who led the unit accused of killing 24 Iraqi civilians in Haditha shot five men as they stood with their hands in the air, another marine said. | |
| Staff Sgt Frank Wuterich then told his comrades to lie about it and blame the Iraqi army, a court heard on Wednesday. | |
| Sgt Sanick Dela Cruz was speaking at a hearing for one of the four officers charged with dereliction of duty for not investigating the killings. | |
| Three other marines have been charged with second-degree murder. | Three other marines have been charged with second-degree murder. |
| Iraqi witnesses say the shootings were in retaliation for a roadside bomb that had killed Lance Cpl Miguel Terrazas as his convoy drove through Haditha, 240km (150 miles) north-west of Baghdad, on 19 November 2005. | Iraqi witnesses say the shootings were in retaliation for a roadside bomb that had killed Lance Cpl Miguel Terrazas as his convoy drove through Haditha, 240km (150 miles) north-west of Baghdad, on 19 November 2005. |
| 'Bad thing' | 'Bad thing' |
| Sgt Dela Cruz also told the military courtroom at Camp Pendleton in California that he urinated on the body of an Iraqi civilian. | |
| US inquiries into Iraq deaths | US inquiries into Iraq deaths |
| He told the court of the distress he felt after discovering the explosion had ripped Lance Cpl Terrazas, known as TJ, in half. | |
| "I know it was a bad thing what I've done, but I done it because I was angry TJ was dead and I pissed on one Iraqi's head," he said. | "I know it was a bad thing what I've done, but I done it because I was angry TJ was dead and I pissed on one Iraqi's head," he said. |
| He also testified that after the explosion Staff Sgt Frank Wuterich had shot dead five men as they stood by a white car with the hands in the air. | He also testified that after the explosion Staff Sgt Frank Wuterich had shot dead five men as they stood by a white car with the hands in the air. |
| "They were just standing, looking around, had hands up," he said. | "They were just standing, looking around, had hands up," he said. |
| "Then I saw one of them drop in the middle." | "Then I saw one of them drop in the middle." |
| "Looked to my left, saw Sgt Wuterich shooting." | "Looked to my left, saw Sgt Wuterich shooting." |
| Afterwards Sgt Dela Cruz said he himself had "sprayed" the bodies with gunfire. | Afterwards Sgt Dela Cruz said he himself had "sprayed" the bodies with gunfire. |
| "I knew they were dead, I wanted to make sure," he explained. | "I knew they were dead, I wanted to make sure," he explained. |
| Immunity | Immunity |
| Sgt Wuterich then shot each of the men in the upper body and head, Sgt Dela Cruz testified. | Sgt Wuterich then shot each of the men in the upper body and head, Sgt Dela Cruz testified. |
| He told me that if anybody asked, [we should say] they were running away and the Iraqi army shot them Sgt Sanick Dela Cruz | He told me that if anybody asked, [we should say] they were running away and the Iraqi army shot them Sgt Sanick Dela Cruz |
| "He went to every single one of them, sir, and shot them," he added. | "He went to every single one of them, sir, and shot them," he added. |
| "He told me that if anybody asked, they were running away and the Iraqi army shot them." | "He told me that if anybody asked, they were running away and the Iraqi army shot them." |
| Sgt Wuterich's lawyer, Neal Puckett, said Sgt Dela Cruz's account was "false" and that he had told investigators up to five different versions of the events. | Sgt Wuterich's lawyer, Neal Puckett, said Sgt Dela Cruz's account was "false" and that he had told investigators up to five different versions of the events. |
| "It's unfortunate that in exchange for his freedom he's being forced to testify against his brothers," Mr Puckett told the Associated Press. | "It's unfortunate that in exchange for his freedom he's being forced to testify against his brothers," Mr Puckett told the Associated Press. |
| In April, the Marine Corps dropped all charges against Sgt Dela Cruz and granted him immunity in exchange for his testimony. | |
| If found guilty, the three marines charged with second-degree murder could face life imprisonment. | If found guilty, the three marines charged with second-degree murder could face life imprisonment. |
| The Haditha inquiry is just one of a number the US military has been conducting into incidents of alleged unlawful killings by US forces in Iraq. | The Haditha inquiry is just one of a number the US military has been conducting into incidents of alleged unlawful killings by US forces in Iraq. |