Accused soldier attacked guard: army

FORT BRAGG, N.C. (AP) - A soldier charged in a fatal grenade attack on two officers in Kuwait tried to overpower one of his military guards early Wednesday, causing the postponement of a pretrial hearing.

Army Sgt. Hasan Akbar turned against one of his military police escorts at Fort Bragg's courts building about two hours before the scheduled start of the hearing, the army said in a statement.

"The MPs quickly regained control of Akbar," the statement said. "During the incident both Akbar and one of the MPs suffered injuries and received medical attention."

Further details were not available.

Akbar, 33, is accused of stealing grenades from a Humvee and using them and a firearm in a March 2003 attack on fellow members of the 101st Airborne Division at Camp Pennsylvania in Kuwait days after the start of the U.S. invasion of Iraq.

Army Capt. Christopher Seifert, 27, and air force Maj. Gregory Stone, 40, were killed; 14 other soldiers were injured.

Akbar is charged with two counts of premeditated murder and three counts of attempted premeditated murder. He could get the death penalty if convicted.

Akbar's lawyers plan to use an insanity or diminished capacity defence in his trial. They also have said Akbar has sleep apnea and has had problems staying awake at previous pretrial hearings.

The case marks the first time since the Vietnam War that a soldier has been prosecuted for the murder or attempted murder of another soldier during wartime.

Wednesday's hearing has been rescheduled for Friday, post officials said. Jury selection was expected to begin April 6, with testimony to follow five days later.

http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/World/2005/03/30/977028-ap.html