Abducted U.S. Marine returns to his unit

SR-25 · 09-12-2004, 02:30 PM

WASHINGTON - U.S. Marine Cpl. Wassef Ali Hassoun has returned to his unit in North Carolina, although his mysterious abduction by Islamic militants in Iraq has yet to be publicly explained.

Hassoun, 24, initially was accused of deserting, but after his hostage video aired on Arab satellite TV, his status was changed to "captured."

Marine Corps officials are "all over the map" over whether they believe Hassoun's story that he escaped execution, said one military source close to the case. He said there is a lingering suspicion that the videotaped threats to behead Hassoun were an elaborate hoax.

The skeptics wonder how he got from Iraq to his native Lebanon 500 miles away - where his wife lives - without a scratch.

The Muslim Marine spent all of August on leave with his family in Salt Lake City before rejoining the antiterrorist 4th Marine Expeditionary Brigade at Camp Lejeune, N.C., on Aug. 30, officials said.

Hassoun is expected soon to be declared fit for duty, the military source said.

But he still could face desertion charges as the probe continues into how he was kidnapped from a secure base in Iraq and whether he was ever in captivity, sources said.

Though Hassoun was debriefed about his ordeal after returning stateside, the Naval Criminal Investigative Service has yet to interview him, leaving his case in limbo, sources said.

"He's frustrated that it's still out there," said the military source. "But he realizes there's a process that needs to take its course."

The Marines are being careful with Hassoun's case.

"Some of the early statements about Hassoun deserting probably went too far," the military source said. "We don't want to make this guy into a Chaplain Yee."

Capt. James Yee, the Muslim chaplain for the terror prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, was accused of espionage last year but later cleared in a major embarrassment for the military.

Hassoun was reported missing on June 19 and presumed a deserter by the Marines, but he was shown days later on Arab TV as a blindfolded hostage with a sword dangling over his head.

On July 8, Hassoun popped up safe at the American Embassy in Beirut.

Hassoun, a veteran of the major combat phase of Operation Iraqi Freedom, denied he ran away.

USMCRET6391 · 09-12-2004, 03:13 PM

It's going to be interesting how they handle this..........proving he was AWOL is very problematic and with the media attention, the Corps may have a public relations problem.

Field_Sailor · 09-12-2004, 03:23 PM

So either he get's court martialled for Desertion in time of War and Aiding the Enemy
or
we give him a POW medal and probably a Silver/Bronze Star for being able to escape and evade to safety.

USMCRET6391 · 09-12-2004, 03:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by field_sailor

So either he get's court martialled for Desertion in time of War and Aiding the Enemy
or
we give him a POW medal and probably a Silver/Bronze Star for being able to escape and evade to safety.

My best guess?
They will quietly discharge him and let the matter go away.

Field_Sailor · 09-12-2004, 03:48 PM

I think I have to disagree with you on this one. I think with him dissapearing like he did, the CIA and FBI will want to know something about what happened.
Think about it, if he was a crypo linguist he had access to a lot of classified info. He could be doing us a lot of harm even here in the States. He will be "talked to" a lot to find out what really happened. At least I really hope so.

**RR691983** · 09-12-2004, 03:56 PM

I think he's full of BS.... Just my opinion so it don't matter much but I don't trust em further than I can throw em

Hoss68 · 09-12-2004, 11:03 PM

Unlike many people who were quick to jump on the rumor mill about this. I hoped it would NOT end up as they had threatened.

He is still a Marine and I held him in that regard, regardless of the rumors, the speculation and the media.

We will never know the truth because we are NOT on a need to know basis.

How many people had to eat crow on this??? A shitload!

Field_Sailor · 09-13-2004, 05:45 AM

He is still a Marine, but if he is a traitor, he's not a very good one. Hell, he may be part of a sleeper cell. He may be a hero who was to escape capture. I think I will take the defensive on this one, though. I would rather err on the side of caution.

USMCRET6391 · 09-13-2004, 05:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by field_sailor

I think I have to disagree with you on this one. I think with him dissapearing like he did, the CIA and FBI will want to know something about what happened.
Think about it, if he was a crypo linguist he had access to a lot of classified info. He could be doing us a lot of harm even here in the States. He will be "talked to" a lot to find out what really happened. At least I really hope so.

I dont think there has been any indication that he has any sort of special training.....I am sure if he had been it would have been all over the papers by now. I agree with Hoss, he is still innocent until proven guilty.......However I still feel that after he is debriefed, if he hasnt been already he will be quitely discharged with out duress

Hoss68 · 09-13-2004, 10:15 PM

Wasn't Cpl Hassoun a translator? Unlike the other men who were beheaded, HE could communicate with his captors in their own tongue.

Because of contacts I have in the military, I knew more than most people about the background info on his status and SRB entries...

The papers got a lot of shit wrong and should have stopped speculating before the printed their shit. Made a lot of them look like idiots.

Field_Sailor · 09-13-2004, 10:19 PM

If he was a translator, then he had a lot of access to a lot of stuff. I wonder if he was a "TAD" translator, or an actual cryptologist (crypto linguist, radio battalion type)?

Hoss68 · 09-13-2004, 10:55 PM

I think he was a straight~ linguist. I can ask if you want...