Winnipeg Free Press

Winnipeg Free Press (Newspaper) - August 8, 2006, Winnipeg, Manitoba world Winnipeg free press tuesday August 8, 2006 a11 testimony at rape murder hearing . Soldiers drank grilled Chicken wings by Ryan Lenz Baghdad ? . Soldiers accused of raping and murdering a 14-year-old iraqi girl drank alcohol and hit Golf balls before the attack and one of them grilled Chicken wings afterwards an investigator told a . Military hearing yesterday citing a soldiers sworn state ment. Criminal investigator Benjamin Bierce told the hearing that he inter viewed one of the accused pc. James Barker on june 30, and recorded graphic and brutal sexual details of the alleged March 12 assault. Bierce was testifying on the second Day of the hearing to determine whether five . Soldiers must stand trial in the rape slaying of Abeer Qassim Al Janabai and the killing of her parents and five year old sister in the town of Mah Moudira one of the most violent areas in Iraq. The rape and murders Are among the worst in a series of cases of alleged mis conduct by american service members that have tarnished the american Mili tary. . Soldiers conduct has come under the spotlight Over a string of Sim Ilar cases. Barkers sworn and signed statement was submitted in evidence during the hearing. Parts were revealed during Bierce a testimony. Barker is accused along with sgt. Paul Cortez pfc. Jesse Spielman pfc. Bryan Howard of rape and murder. Another Soldier sgt. Anthony Yribe is accused of failing to report the attack but is not alleged to have been a direct participant. Former pfc. Steven Green was Dis charged from the army for a personality disorder after the incident and was arrested in North Carolina in june on rape and murder charges. He has pleaded not guilty in Federal court and is being held without Bond. At yesterdays hearing pfc. Justin Watt testified Howard told him before the incident that Green Cortez and Barker had planned to rape a girl and Howard was to be the Lookout. There a nothing i be read that says what to do if your buddies have raped and murdered a family Watt said. Another investigator Michael Hood told the hearing that he interviewed Spielman who denied shooting or hav ing sex with anyone in the House. Spiel Man was Given a lie Detector test and passed Hood said. According to barkers sworn state ment cited by Bierce Green not Only raped the girl but also shot her and her family members after telling his com rades repeatedly that he wanted to kill some iraqis. Bierce testified that on the Day of the attack Barker Cortez Spielman and Green had been playing cards and drink ing iraqi whisky mixed with an Energy drink. Afterwards they Practised hitting Golf balls Bierce quoted Barker As say ing in his statement. Bierce said barkers statement made it Clear that Green was very persistent about killing some iraqis and kept bring ing up the idea. At some Point they decided to go to the House of the girl whom they had seen passing by their Check Point earlier. According to Bierce Barker told him that when they arrived at the House the father and the girl were outside the House. Spielman grabbed the girl while Green seized her father and took them into the House with Bierce said quoting Barker. Cortez and Barker also went in. Green took the father Mother and the younger sister into the bedroom and closed the door while the girl remained in the living room with the others. Barker wrote that Cortez pushed the girl to the floor lifted her dress and Tore off her underwear while she struggled Bierce said. Cortez apparently raped her or appeared to rape her according to barkers statement Bierce said. Barker then tried to rape the girl Bierce said. Suddenly the group heard gunshots. Green came out of the bed room holding an ak-47 Rifle and declared they re All dead. I just killed them Bierce said quoting barkers statement. Green put the gun Down then raped the girl while Cortez held her Down Barker claims Green picked up the ak?47 and shot the girl once paused then shot her several More times Bierce said. Barker confirms he got a kerosene lamp and poured the fuel on the girl Bierce said. The body was set on fire but Barker does not say who did it. Bark ers statement also does not say if Howard or Spielman participated in the rape. Barkers statement says he grilled Chicken wings once they got Back to their checkpoint Bierce testified. ? associated press Mideast in crisis Israel accepts no limits rocket fire must be halted pm tells troops by Matthew Fisher b Beirut ? with the outcome to urgent diplomatic talks at the United nations aimed at solv ing the Israel Hezbollah conflict As Uncertain As Ever the Battle took another ominous turn at Sunset yesterday when Israel hit closer to to the heart of Beirut than Ever before killing at least 15 and wounding 60. Yesterdays air raid took place As Israel issued a Stark threat to every one in Lebanon living within 30 kilo metres of the israeli Border to remain inside from 10 . Or risk being regarded As the enemy. It also placed an indefinite curfew on the movement of All vehicles within the area. Only hours earlier prime minister Ehud Olmert told reservists in North Ern Israel no limits had been placed on current military operations in pro Israel Lebanon. There Are no restraints on the army Olmert said. We Are not not stopping. The Katusha rocket fire gathering must be stopped. A situation in which a million israelis Are confined to Shel ters is draws police Olmert swords were backed up by heavy bombing raids on More than 150 targets across Lebanon. Among the supporters places hit was the last Road link Between the besieged Southern port by David Kuxhaus City of Tyre and the rest of Lebanon effectively cutting off All humanitarian Aid to the South. Warplanes also about 1,000 people crammed int once again struck Baalbek in the North the gymnasium at the Asper Jewis Hern Bekaan Valley but they concentrate Community Campus sunday Eveningred most of their fire in Border areas. At amid tight Security to show their sup least 33 lebanese died in these Vari port for Israel in the current Middle us attacks including a family of seven East crisis. In a Seaside Village North of Tyre. Police were visible at most but with most of the International entrances and officers patrolled theand local Media in Lebanon located in outside of the South Winnipeg Centre. Beirut it was the two attacks there bags cellphones and cameras were Bush rejects demand yesterday that got the most attention. Not allowed inside. Beirut a Southern suburbs were rocked or. Ted Lyons president of the jew by a series of Early morning expo ish federation of Winnipeg told the Sions. But the loudest attack came As crowd the beefed up Security while for israeli withdrawal Beirut is were sitting Down to dinner. Unfortunate is necessary. After a spy drone had circled the ceasefire Harper said sunday. Last month a Lone gunman walked City for several hours there were two by Steven Edwards Arab countries say the israelis into the jewish federations Seattle huge explosions in the suburb of Chiah should hand control of Southern office killing one woman and wound where an apartment building collapsed United nations ? diplomatic Lebanon immediately to the 1,990 sol ing five. Employees said the shooter and rescuers frantically searched the efforts to end the fighting in Lebanon Diers of the interim Force in claimed to be a Muslim angry at Israel. Rubble for survivors. Hit new roadblocks yesterday As . Lebanon uni Fil which the world for the last month much of the the blasts on what was once known president George w. Bush rejected body dispatched in 1978 in the Wake of world has been focused on the Middle As the Green line that divided Beirut a Lebanon a demand that the United attacks by palestinian militants on East crisis where Israel and he Bol Christian and Muslim communities nations Security Council order israeli Northern Israel. Uni Fil would then Lah have been trading bombs. Israel were about one Kilometre further forces to immediately depart from hand control to the lebanese army. Began the offensive after Hezbollah North than Ever before. They rattled Southern Lebanon. But neither the lebanese army nor crossed into Israel and captured two windows and psyches in the capitals speaking As he vacations at his ranch uni Fil has Ever been Able to stand up soldiers. Tony commercial University and Beach in Crawford Texas Bush said making to Hezbollah which emerged with since then hundreds of civilians on districts Only five Kilometres further both sides have died in the escalating the israelis leave ahead of the arrival iranian and syrian help after the North. Conflict. Of a Strong International peacekeeping israelis invaded Lebanon in 1982 to it happened 100 metres away form Force would allow Hezbollah to re Stop palestinian attacks that had con sunday night or. Yossi Olmert a my Home said Antoine Touma. I got Middle East scholar journalist and occupy the area and maintain its threat tinted despite the uni Fil presence. My family out some time ago but i am against Israel. In a bid to break the deadlock the brother of israeli prime minister Ehud afraid to go there now myself to Check meeting in Beirut Arab foreign min lebanese government said yesterday Olmert said his country is committed on How badly damaged our place is. Sisters said they would Send a Dele a it was prepared to deploy 15,000 troops to bringing the captured soldiers Back i Don to understand this attack. To Israel As quickly As possible without Tion to new York to make Lebanon a to Southern Lebanon a move Israel there Are Hezbollah supporters not so Case before the in Security Council cautiously welcomed. Conditions. Far away but none that i know of today. That a something we support and we Are going to defeat terrorism where these bombs landed. All any of but in new York John Bolton . Have supported All along said Mark said Olmert to a standing ovation. Us want to know is when the fighting ambassador to the in suggested Regev spokesman for Israel a foreign this is a War of will wrapped in israeli flags were Lebanon a opposition to the text of the affairs ministry. But i Don to know of Hezbollah maintained its own Furi ceasefire Resolution was disingenuous a single situation where the lebanese Michael Aziza and his 13-year-old son Ous offensive yesterday launching a explaining . And French negotiators army has tried to prevent Hezbollah Benji. The Zizas have family that live flurry of More than 170 rockets. But had consulted throughout with the from launching a terrorist attack and in Northern Israel the hardest hit Par they did not have anything like the lebanese and israeli governments. Tried to prevent them from walking of the country. Deadly results they had on sunday its not As though we drafted this around with their guns and its terrible said Michael. When two barrages killed 15 israelis they re afraid. They feel very Vul Resolution in a closet somewhere and the United states is also expected among them a dozen army reservists suddenly sprang the text on any Mem to Point out the lebanese proposal fails Merable. Much of their Day is spent i including six sergeants major. Most of Ber government he said. The United to include the disarming of Hezbollah bomb yesterdays rockets fired across the Benji who celebrated his bar Mitz states and France were in close touch As demanded by the Security Council Border landed just across the Border with the governments of Lebanon and both in the past and in the current draft vah during a family trip to Israel Lastin Northern Israel wounding five. Resolution. December said it was important for the lebanese government con prime minister Stephen Harper whatever happens in the in we him to attend the rally. Firmed israeli reports of fighting on a praised the in agreement aimed at must not create a vacuum into which the message needs to get out that strategic Mountain top North of Tyre. Achieving a ceasefire. Hezbollah and its sponsors Are Able to we support Israel and stand wit about 30 helicopter borne commandos Israel said the teenager. We re pleased to see that the unit move More weapons Bush said. Reportedly killed five lebanese. De nations appears to be moving ? can West news service. towards a Resolution calling for a ? can West news service around the world flight turned Back London ? a London to Boston flight was called Back to Heathrow Airport yesterday after . Authorities discovered a passengers name was on their no Fly list officials said. Four passengers were being questioned by Border control officers. A Man travelling with three women identified As his Mother and two Sis ters was taken into custody for questioning by British and . Authorities a Homeland Security offi Cial said. The . Transportation Security administrations no Fly list was established after the sept. 11, 2001, attacks to prevent people who May have terrorist ties from boarding commercial flights. Border Chase fatal Yuma Ariz. ? a sport Utility vehicle crammed with suspected illegal immigrants rolled Over in an attempt to outrun Border patrol agents killing nine people and injuring at least 12 others officials said. Five of the injured were in critical condition most with head trauma a Hospital spokeswoman said. The Large Sun was carrying up to 22 people when the Driver had tried to circumvent a checkpoint on the High Way Border patrol spokesman Lloyd frers said. Kashmir hostages freed Srinagar India ? separatist Mili Tants released three civilian hostages from a Village Home in Kashmir yesterday but four suspected rebels three soldiers and a civilian were killed in fighting in the Valley police said. The rebels held two men and a boy for five hours As they battled police and soldiers in the Village of Sirpora about 65 Kilometres South of Srinagar the summer capital of India a part of Kashmir. Floods in Ethiopia dire Dawa Ethiopia ? rescuers using Earth movers and their Bare hands searched for survivors yester Day a Day after Flash floods killed at least 200 people including dozens of children. Hundreds More were feared miss ing and officials said there was Little Chance of finding More survivors. Flood Waters crashed through Homes after a River burst its Banks Early sunday following heavy Rains. The Waters flipped cars swept away houses and severed Power and communications lines. Aid workers killed Colombo sri Lanka ? fifteen tamil civilians working for a French Aid Agency were found slain in North Eastern sri Lanka after fierce Battles Between rebels and the government in a dispute Over water supplies Relief Agency officials said yesterday. The Aid workers ? 11 men and four women ? were doing Post tsunami Relief for the French Agency action against hunger in the Seaside town of mutter the scene of heavy Battles that have plunged the country into one of its worst crises since its 2002 ceasefire. Cheerful cheese Heads St. Cloud wis. ? a group of about 100 cheese factory workers say they hold the winning ticket for the $208.6 million us Power Ball lottery Jackpot. Officially no one had come Forward As of yesterday to claim the Jackpot said Wisconsin lottery spokeswoman Jessica Iverson. ? from the wire services ;