Chiarelli completes review of probe into Haditha case

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By Kim Gamel
Associated Press

BAGHDAD— The No. 2 U.S. commander in Iraq on Friday completed his review of an investigation into a possible cover-up surrounding the alleged Marine killings of 24 unarmed Iraqi civilians in the western town of Haditha, the military said.

Lt. Gen. Peter Chiarelli forwarded his findings and recommendations to Gen. George W. Casey, the top commander in Iraq, according to a statement.

The investigation was separate from an inquiry still under way into whether a small number of Marines from the 3rd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment murdered the 24 civilians — including unarmed women and children — on Nov. 19 after a roadside bomb in the town killed one of their comrades.

Chiarelli’s report was based on an investigation conducted by Maj. Gen. Eldon Bargewell into whether the Marines followed proper procedures in reporting about the incident to commanders, or whether anyone engaged in a cover-up.

His investigation also may consider whether any criminal charges should be brought in connection with deliberate attempts to lie about the incident.

The military initially said the Iraqi deaths were the result of the roadside bomb and a subsequent gunfight with insurgents.

A U.S. military official said Chiarelli agreed with Bargewell’s findings for the most part, but there were some areas in which he recommended a different course of action. The official did not elaborate.

He said investigation found that administrative errors were made in the reporting and follow up of initial allegations after the killings and suggested some were of a criminal nature.

“It essentially bolsters the ongoing criminal investigation and lays bare some of the administrative faults that existed during November 2005,” the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity because the findings have not been publicly released.

“What some of these people did wrong is certainly not illegal or criminal, but administratively their actions are something that Gen. Chiarelli wants to look at,” the official said.

The official said the military hoped to release most of the findings in the next two weeks, but anything that could be used in the criminal investigation would not be made public.

“Some of the portions will be redacted because they could be used in a criminal investigation, either a current one or one in the future,” he said.

The case, which came to public attention earlier this year because of a video released by the Hammurabi group, is one of several allegations of U.S. abuse of Iraqi civilians that threaten to further weaken popular support for the Iraq war in the United States and tarnish the military’s image.

Iraq has ordered its own probe of the killings, with Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki using unusually strong language to condemn them.