US General's Report Finds Initial Investigation Of Haditha Civilian Deaths Was Negligent

New York Times ERIC SCHMITT and DAVID S. CLOUD July 8, 2006 at 11:25 AM
READ MORE: Investigations, Iraq

The second-ranking American commander in Iraq has concluded that some senior Marine officers were negligent in failing to investigate more aggressively the killings of 24 Iraqi civilians by marines in Haditha last November, two Defense Department officials said Friday.

The officer, Lt. Gen. Peter W. Chiarelli, concluded that in the deaths, including those of 10 women and children and an elderly man in a wheelchair, senior officers failed to follow up on inaccuracies and inconsistencies in the initial reporting of the incident that should have raised questions.

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