U.S. Soldiers Allegedly Killed Afghan Civilians, Kept Body Parts As Trophies

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Twelve American soldiers face charges over a secret "kill team" thatallegedly blew up and shot Afghan civilians at random and collectedtheir fingers as trophies.

Five of the soldiers are charged withmurdering three Afghan men who were allegedly killed for sport inseparate attacks this year. Seven others are accused of covering up thekillings and assaulting a recruit who exposed the murders when hereported other abuses, including members of the unit smoking hashishstolen from civilians.

In one of the most serious accusations ofwar crimes to emerge from the Afghan conflict, the killings are allegedto have been carried out by members of a Stryker infantry brigade basedin Kandahar province in southern Afghanistan.

Accordingto investigators and legal documents, discussion of killing Afghancivilians began after the arrival of Staff Sergeant Calvin Gibbs atforward operating base Ramrod last November. Other soldiers told thearmy's criminal investigation command that Gibbs boasted of the thingshe got away with while serving in Iraq and said how easy it would be to"toss a grenade at someone and kill them".

One soldier said he believed Gibbs was "feeling out the platoon".

Investigatorssaid Gibbs, 25, hatched a plan with another soldier, Jeremy Morlock,22, and other members of the unit to form a "kill team". While onpatrol over the following months they allegedly killed at least threeAfghan civilians. According to the charge sheet, the first target wasGul Mudin, who was killed "by means of throwing a fragmentary grenadeat him and shooting him with a rifle", when the patrol entered thevillage of La Mohammed Kalay in January.

Morlock and anothersoldier, Andrew Holmes, were on guard at the edge of a poppy field whenMudin emerged and stopped on the other side of a wall from thesoldiers. Gibbs allegedly handed Morlock a grenade who armed it anddropped it over the wall next to the Afghan and dived for cover.Holmes, 19, then allegedly fired over the wall.

Later in the day, Morlock is alleged to have told Holmes that the killing was for fun and threatened him if he told anyone.

Thesecond victim, Marach Agha, was shot and killed the following month.Gibbs is alleged to have shot him and placed a Kalashnikov next to thebody to justify the killing. In May Mullah Adadhdad was killed afterbeing shot and attacked with a grenade.

The Army Times reportedthat a least one of the soldiers collected the fingers of the victimsas souvenirs and that some of them posed for photographs with thebodies.

Five soldiers – Gibbs, Morlock, Holmes, Michael Wagnonand Adam Winfield – are accused of murder and aggravated assault amongother charges. All of the soldiers have denied the charges. They facethe death penalty or life in prison if convicted.

The killingscame to light in May after the army began investigating a brutalassault on a soldier who told superiors that members of his unit weresmoking hashish. The Army Times reported that members of the unitregularly smoked the drug on duty and sometimes stole it from civilians.

Thesoldier, who was straight out of basic training and has not been named,said he witnessed the smoking of hashish and drinking of smuggledalcohol but initially did not report it out of loyalty to his comrades.But when he returned from an assignment at an army headquarters anddiscovered soldiers using the shipping container in which he wasbilleted to smoke hashish he reported it.

Two days later membersof his platoon, including Gibbs and Morlock, accused him of"snitching", gave him a beating and told him to keep his mouth shut.The soldier reported the beating and threats to his officers and thentold investigators what he knew of the "kill team".

Following thearrest of the original five accused in June, seven other soldiers werecharged last month with attempting to cover up the killings and violentassault on the soldier who reported the smoking of hashish. The chargeswill be considered by a military grand jury later this month which willdecide if there is enough evidence for a court martial. Armyinvestigators say Morlock has admitted his involvement in the killingsand given details about the role of others including Gibbs. But hislawyer, Michael Waddington, is seeking to have that confessionsuppressed because he says his client was interviewed while under theinfluence of prescription drugs taken for battlefield injuries and thathe was also suffering from traumatic brain injury.

"Our positionis that his statements were incoherent, and taken while he was under acocktail of drugs that shouldn't have been mixed," Waddington told theSeattle Times.
 
Story was published recently.


Twelve American soldiers face charges over a secret "kill team" thatallegedly blew up and shot Afghan civilians at random and collectedtheir fingers as trophies.

Five of the soldiers are charged withmurdering three Afghan men who were allegedly killed for sport inseparate attacks this year. Seven others are accused of covering up thekillings and assaulting a recruit who exposed the murders when hereported other abuses, including members of the unit smoking hashishstolen from civilians.

In one of the most serious accusations ofwar crimes to emerge from the Afghan conflict, the killings are allegedto have been carried out by members of a Stryker infantry brigade basedin Kandahar province in southern Afghanistan.

Accordingto investigators and legal documents, discussion of killing Afghancivilians began after the arrival of Staff Sergeant Calvin Gibbs atforward operating base Ramrod last November. Other soldiers told thearmy's criminal investigation command that Gibbs boasted of the thingshe got away with while serving in Iraq and said how easy it would be to"toss a grenade at someone and kill them".

One soldier said he believed Gibbs was "feeling out the platoon".

Investigatorssaid Gibbs, 25, hatched a plan with another soldier, Jeremy Morlock,22, and other members of the unit to form a "kill team". While onpatrol over the following months they allegedly killed at least threeAfghan civilians. According to the charge sheet, the first target wasGul Mudin, who was killed "by means of throwing a fragmentary grenadeat him and shooting him with a rifle", when the patrol entered thevillage of La Mohammed Kalay in January.

Morlock and anothersoldier, Andrew Holmes, were on guard at the edge of a poppy field whenMudin emerged and stopped on the other side of a wall from thesoldiers. Gibbs allegedly handed Morlock a grenade who armed it anddropped it over the wall next to the Afghan and dived for cover.Holmes, 19, then allegedly fired over the wall.

Later in the day, Morlock is alleged to have told Holmes that the killing was for fun and threatened him if he told anyone.

Thesecond victim, Marach Agha, was shot and killed the following month.Gibbs is alleged to have shot him and placed a Kalashnikov next to thebody to justify the killing. In May Mullah Adadhdad was killed afterbeing shot and attacked with a grenade.

The Army Times reportedthat a least one of the soldiers collected the fingers of the victimsas souvenirs and that some of them posed for photographs with thebodies.

Five soldiers – Gibbs, Morlock, Holmes, Michael Wagnonand Adam Winfield – are accused of murder and aggravated assault amongother charges. All of the soldiers have denied the charges. They facethe death penalty or life in prison if convicted.

The killingscame to light in May after the army began investigating a brutalassault on a soldier who told superiors that members of his unit weresmoking hashish. The Army Times reported that members of the unitregularly smoked the drug on duty and sometimes stole it from civilians.

Thesoldier, who was straight out of basic training and has not been named,said he witnessed the smoking of hashish and drinking of smuggledalcohol but initially did not report it out of loyalty to his comrades.But when he returned from an assignment at an army headquarters anddiscovered soldiers using the shipping container in which he wasbilleted to smoke hashish he reported it.

Two days later membersof his platoon, including Gibbs and Morlock, accused him of"snitching", gave him a beating and told him to keep his mouth shut.The soldier reported the beating and threats to his officers and thentold investigators what he knew of the "kill team".

Following thearrest of the original five accused in June, seven other soldiers werecharged last month with attempting to cover up the killings and violentassault on the soldier who reported the smoking of hashish. The chargeswill be considered by a military grand jury later this month which willdecide if there is enough evidence for a court martial. Armyinvestigators say Morlock has admitted his involvement in the killingsand given details about the role of others including Gibbs. But hislawyer, Michael Waddington, is seeking to have that confessionsuppressed because he says his client was interviewed while under theinfluence of prescription drugs taken for battlefield injuries and thathe was also suffering from traumatic brain injury.

"Our positionis that his statements were incoherent, and taken while he was under acocktail of drugs that shouldn't have been mixed," Waddington told theSeattle Times.
 
[h1]Soldier's father: Army was warned of murder plot[/h1]

SEATTLE – The father of a U.S. soldier serving in Afghanistan sayshe tried nearly a half dozen times to pass an urgent message from hisson to the Army: Troops in his unit had murdered an Afghan civilian,planned more killings and threatened him to keep quiet about it.

By the time officials arrested suspects months later, two more Afghans were dead.

And much to Christopher Winfield's horror, his son Adam was among the five Fort Lewis-based soldiers charged in the killings.

Theelder Winfield told The Associated Press in an exclusive interview thathis son did not kill the unarmed man and would never have been in thesituation if the Army had investigated the warnings he says he passedalong to Fort Lewis.

An Army spokeswoman at thebase said she could not comment on whether they received such a tip orif so, whether it was acted on.

But the newdetails about Winfield's efforts to alert the Army and his son's pleasraised questions about the Army's handling of the case and its systemfor allowing soldiers to report misconduct by their colleagues.

Thesoldiers have been accused of conspiracy and premeditated murder. Thehighest ranking is Staff Sgt. Calvin Gibbs, who, along with Cpl. JeremyMorlock, are accused of taking part in all three killings.

Pfc.Andrew Holmes is charged with murder in the first killing, and Spc.Michael Wagnon is charged in another. Both deny the charges.

Winfieldis charged with murder in the final killing, and his attorney, EricMontalvo, insists he was ordered to shoot after Gibbs hit the civilianwith a grenade. Winfield deliberately shot high and missed, he said.

Gibbshas denied the charges. His attorney, Phillip Stackhouse, said hisclient maintains that the shootings were "appropriate engagements" anddenies involvement in any conspiracy to kill civilians.

The soldiers, all assigned to the 5th Stryker Brigade, deployed in July 2009 and were stationed at a base in Kandahar Province.

The AP reviewed witness and defendant statements as well as documents filed with an Army magistrate for this report.

Gibbs,25, of Billings, Mont., arrived in the unit late last year and soonbegan discussing how easy it would be to kill civilians, some in theplatoon told Army investigators. He and Cpl. Jeremy Morlock, 22,planned "scenarios" in which they could carry out such killings, theysaid.

Morlock, of Wasilla, Alaska, gave investigators extensive statements describing the plot.

Morlock'slawyer did not immediately return calls and e-mails from the AP, butpreviously told The Seattle Times that the statements were made underthe influence of prescription drugs to treat traumatic brain injuriesfrom explosions and should be suppressed as evidence.

Ineach of the killings, Morlock said, he and Gibbs planned and initiatedthe attack and enlisted one other soldier to participate.

Thefirst indication for Christopher Winfield and his wife, Emma, thatsomething was amiss came Jan. 15, the day of the first killing.

"I'mnot sure what to do about something that happened out here but I needto be secretive about this," their son wrote them in a Facebookmessage. The couple gave the AP copies of the Facebook messages,Internet chats and their phone records.

Winfield, 22, of Cape Coral, Fla., didn't immediately providemore details, and over the next month he had little contact with hisparents. They said they checked constantly to see if he was online.

On Feb. 14, he told his parents what happened in a lengthyInternet chat: Members of his unit on patrol had killed "some innocentguy about my age just farming." He said he did not witness the killing.

But, he wrote, those involved told him about it and urged him to "get one of my own."

He said that virtually everyone in the platoon was aware of what was going on, but no one seemed to object.

"If you talk to anyone on my behalf, I have proof that they areplanning another one in the form of an AK-47 they want to drop on aguy."

He added that he didn't know whom to trust and feared for his safety if his comrades learned he was talking to authorities.

"Should I do the right thing and put myself in danger for it. Orjust shut up and deal with it," he wrote his parents. "There are nomore good men left here. It eats away at my conscience everyday."

In statements to investigators, at least three platoon memberssaid Gibbs directly threatened Winfield. Morlock added that Gibbsdevised "scenarios" for Winfield's death, one of which involved Gibbsdropping heavy weights on him as he was working out.

Gibbs accosted Winfield as he was on his way to speak with a chaplain and warned him to keep quiet, Montalvo said.

Soldiers serving in a combat theater typically would reportcrimes up the chain of command, to military investigators or chaplains,to members of the Defense Department inspector general's office, oreven to another unit if their own commanders are involved.

One soldier, Pfc. Justin A. Stoner, who reported hashishsmoking in the unit, said he was beaten by several platoon members.Gibbs and Morlock then paid him a visit, with Gibbs rolling out on thefloor a set of severed fingers, he told investigators.

Morlock told him that "if I don't want to end up like that guy ... shut the hell up."

Winfield asked his parents to call an Army hotline because he didn't want anyone to overhear him using the phone.

His father, a Marine veteran, was shocked, and made five calls to military officials that day, his phone records show.

He said he left a message on a Defense Department hotline andcalled four numbers at Fort Lewis. He said he spoke with an on-dutysergeant and left a message at an Army Criminal Investigations Divisionoffice before reaching the base's command center.

In that call, an official told him that if his son wasn'twilling to come forward while deployed, there was nothing the basecould do, Winfield recalled in interviews with the AP and in a swornstatement to Army investigators.

The official suggested the soldier keep his head down until hisdeployment ended and investigators could look into his claims, he said.

The elder Winfield told AP he regrets not writing down theidentities of those he spoke with. He said he did not give any of themGibbs' name, but did identify his son. He said one of his son'ssergeants had been involved in a civilian's murder and was planningmore.

His son soon expressed concern about what would happen if Armyofficials stateside began making inquiries, and asked his dad to backoff. The elder Winfield said he complied.

A week later, the second killing occurred. On May 2, the third killing took place.

The killings eventually came to light when the soldier who hadreported the drug use told investigators that Morlock "had three priorkills that none of which I believe were actually justified."

Preliminary hearings in the case are expected to begin this fall.
 
[h1]Soldier's father: Army was warned of murder plot[/h1]

SEATTLE – The father of a U.S. soldier serving in Afghanistan sayshe tried nearly a half dozen times to pass an urgent message from hisson to the Army: Troops in his unit had murdered an Afghan civilian,planned more killings and threatened him to keep quiet about it.

By the time officials arrested suspects months later, two more Afghans were dead.

And much to Christopher Winfield's horror, his son Adam was among the five Fort Lewis-based soldiers charged in the killings.

Theelder Winfield told The Associated Press in an exclusive interview thathis son did not kill the unarmed man and would never have been in thesituation if the Army had investigated the warnings he says he passedalong to Fort Lewis.

An Army spokeswoman at thebase said she could not comment on whether they received such a tip orif so, whether it was acted on.

But the newdetails about Winfield's efforts to alert the Army and his son's pleasraised questions about the Army's handling of the case and its systemfor allowing soldiers to report misconduct by their colleagues.

Thesoldiers have been accused of conspiracy and premeditated murder. Thehighest ranking is Staff Sgt. Calvin Gibbs, who, along with Cpl. JeremyMorlock, are accused of taking part in all three killings.

Pfc.Andrew Holmes is charged with murder in the first killing, and Spc.Michael Wagnon is charged in another. Both deny the charges.

Winfieldis charged with murder in the final killing, and his attorney, EricMontalvo, insists he was ordered to shoot after Gibbs hit the civilianwith a grenade. Winfield deliberately shot high and missed, he said.

Gibbshas denied the charges. His attorney, Phillip Stackhouse, said hisclient maintains that the shootings were "appropriate engagements" anddenies involvement in any conspiracy to kill civilians.

The soldiers, all assigned to the 5th Stryker Brigade, deployed in July 2009 and were stationed at a base in Kandahar Province.

The AP reviewed witness and defendant statements as well as documents filed with an Army magistrate for this report.

Gibbs,25, of Billings, Mont., arrived in the unit late last year and soonbegan discussing how easy it would be to kill civilians, some in theplatoon told Army investigators. He and Cpl. Jeremy Morlock, 22,planned "scenarios" in which they could carry out such killings, theysaid.

Morlock, of Wasilla, Alaska, gave investigators extensive statements describing the plot.

Morlock'slawyer did not immediately return calls and e-mails from the AP, butpreviously told The Seattle Times that the statements were made underthe influence of prescription drugs to treat traumatic brain injuriesfrom explosions and should be suppressed as evidence.

Ineach of the killings, Morlock said, he and Gibbs planned and initiatedthe attack and enlisted one other soldier to participate.

Thefirst indication for Christopher Winfield and his wife, Emma, thatsomething was amiss came Jan. 15, the day of the first killing.

"I'mnot sure what to do about something that happened out here but I needto be secretive about this," their son wrote them in a Facebookmessage. The couple gave the AP copies of the Facebook messages,Internet chats and their phone records.

Winfield, 22, of Cape Coral, Fla., didn't immediately providemore details, and over the next month he had little contact with hisparents. They said they checked constantly to see if he was online.

On Feb. 14, he told his parents what happened in a lengthyInternet chat: Members of his unit on patrol had killed "some innocentguy about my age just farming." He said he did not witness the killing.

But, he wrote, those involved told him about it and urged him to "get one of my own."

He said that virtually everyone in the platoon was aware of what was going on, but no one seemed to object.

"If you talk to anyone on my behalf, I have proof that they areplanning another one in the form of an AK-47 they want to drop on aguy."

He added that he didn't know whom to trust and feared for his safety if his comrades learned he was talking to authorities.

"Should I do the right thing and put myself in danger for it. Orjust shut up and deal with it," he wrote his parents. "There are nomore good men left here. It eats away at my conscience everyday."

In statements to investigators, at least three platoon memberssaid Gibbs directly threatened Winfield. Morlock added that Gibbsdevised "scenarios" for Winfield's death, one of which involved Gibbsdropping heavy weights on him as he was working out.

Gibbs accosted Winfield as he was on his way to speak with a chaplain and warned him to keep quiet, Montalvo said.

Soldiers serving in a combat theater typically would reportcrimes up the chain of command, to military investigators or chaplains,to members of the Defense Department inspector general's office, oreven to another unit if their own commanders are involved.

One soldier, Pfc. Justin A. Stoner, who reported hashishsmoking in the unit, said he was beaten by several platoon members.Gibbs and Morlock then paid him a visit, with Gibbs rolling out on thefloor a set of severed fingers, he told investigators.

Morlock told him that "if I don't want to end up like that guy ... shut the hell up."

Winfield asked his parents to call an Army hotline because he didn't want anyone to overhear him using the phone.

His father, a Marine veteran, was shocked, and made five calls to military officials that day, his phone records show.

He said he left a message on a Defense Department hotline andcalled four numbers at Fort Lewis. He said he spoke with an on-dutysergeant and left a message at an Army Criminal Investigations Divisionoffice before reaching the base's command center.

In that call, an official told him that if his son wasn'twilling to come forward while deployed, there was nothing the basecould do, Winfield recalled in interviews with the AP and in a swornstatement to Army investigators.

The official suggested the soldier keep his head down until hisdeployment ended and investigators could look into his claims, he said.

The elder Winfield told AP he regrets not writing down theidentities of those he spoke with. He said he did not give any of themGibbs' name, but did identify his son. He said one of his son'ssergeants had been involved in a civilian's murder and was planningmore.

His son soon expressed concern about what would happen if Armyofficials stateside began making inquiries, and asked his dad to backoff. The elder Winfield said he complied.

A week later, the second killing occurred. On May 2, the third killing took place.

The killings eventually came to light when the soldier who hadreported the drug use told investigators that Morlock "had three priorkills that none of which I believe were actually justified."

Preliminary hearings in the case are expected to begin this fall.
 
[h1]Soldier's father: Army was warned of murder plot[/h1]

SEATTLE – The father of a U.S. soldier serving in Afghanistan sayshe tried nearly a half dozen times to pass an urgent message from hisson to the Army: Troops in his unit had murdered an Afghan civilian,planned more killings and threatened him to keep quiet about it.

By the time officials arrested suspects months later, two more Afghans were dead.

And much to Christopher Winfield's horror, his son Adam was among the five Fort Lewis-based soldiers charged in the killings.

Theelder Winfield told The Associated Press in an exclusive interview thathis son did not kill the unarmed man and would never have been in thesituation if the Army had investigated the warnings he says he passedalong to Fort Lewis.

An Army spokeswoman at thebase said she could not comment on whether they received such a tip orif so, whether it was acted on.

But the newdetails about Winfield's efforts to alert the Army and his son's pleasraised questions about the Army's handling of the case and its systemfor allowing soldiers to report misconduct by their colleagues.

Thesoldiers have been accused of conspiracy and premeditated murder. Thehighest ranking is Staff Sgt. Calvin Gibbs, who, along with Cpl. JeremyMorlock, are accused of taking part in all three killings.

Pfc.Andrew Holmes is charged with murder in the first killing, and Spc.Michael Wagnon is charged in another. Both deny the charges.

Winfieldis charged with murder in the final killing, and his attorney, EricMontalvo, insists he was ordered to shoot after Gibbs hit the civilianwith a grenade. Winfield deliberately shot high and missed, he said.

Gibbshas denied the charges. His attorney, Phillip Stackhouse, said hisclient maintains that the shootings were "appropriate engagements" anddenies involvement in any conspiracy to kill civilians.

The soldiers, all assigned to the 5th Stryker Brigade, deployed in July 2009 and were stationed at a base in Kandahar Province.

The AP reviewed witness and defendant statements as well as documents filed with an Army magistrate for this report.

Gibbs,25, of Billings, Mont., arrived in the unit late last year and soonbegan discussing how easy it would be to kill civilians, some in theplatoon told Army investigators. He and Cpl. Jeremy Morlock, 22,planned "scenarios" in which they could carry out such killings, theysaid.

Morlock, of Wasilla, Alaska, gave investigators extensive statements describing the plot.

Morlock'slawyer did not immediately return calls and e-mails from the AP, butpreviously told The Seattle Times that the statements were made underthe influence of prescription drugs to treat traumatic brain injuriesfrom explosions and should be suppressed as evidence.

Ineach of the killings, Morlock said, he and Gibbs planned and initiatedthe attack and enlisted one other soldier to participate.

Thefirst indication for Christopher Winfield and his wife, Emma, thatsomething was amiss came Jan. 15, the day of the first killing.

"I'mnot sure what to do about something that happened out here but I needto be secretive about this," their son wrote them in a Facebookmessage. The couple gave the AP copies of the Facebook messages,Internet chats and their phone records.

Winfield, 22, of Cape Coral, Fla., didn't immediately providemore details, and over the next month he had little contact with hisparents. They said they checked constantly to see if he was online.

On Feb. 14, he told his parents what happened in a lengthyInternet chat: Members of his unit on patrol had killed "some innocentguy about my age just farming." He said he did not witness the killing.

But, he wrote, those involved told him about it and urged him to "get one of my own."

He said that virtually everyone in the platoon was aware of what was going on, but no one seemed to object.

"If you talk to anyone on my behalf, I have proof that they areplanning another one in the form of an AK-47 they want to drop on aguy."

He added that he didn't know whom to trust and feared for his safety if his comrades learned he was talking to authorities.

"Should I do the right thing and put myself in danger for it. Orjust shut up and deal with it," he wrote his parents. "There are nomore good men left here. It eats away at my conscience everyday."

In statements to investigators, at least three platoon memberssaid Gibbs directly threatened Winfield. Morlock added that Gibbsdevised "scenarios" for Winfield's death, one of which involved Gibbsdropping heavy weights on him as he was working out.

Gibbs accosted Winfield as he was on his way to speak with a chaplain and warned him to keep quiet, Montalvo said.

Soldiers serving in a combat theater typically would reportcrimes up the chain of command, to military investigators or chaplains,to members of the Defense Department inspector general's office, oreven to another unit if their own commanders are involved.

One soldier, Pfc. Justin A. Stoner, who reported hashishsmoking in the unit, said he was beaten by several platoon members.Gibbs and Morlock then paid him a visit, with Gibbs rolling out on thefloor a set of severed fingers, he told investigators.

Morlock told him that "if I don't want to end up like that guy ... shut the hell up."

Winfield asked his parents to call an Army hotline because he didn't want anyone to overhear him using the phone.

His father, a Marine veteran, was shocked, and made five calls to military officials that day, his phone records show.

He said he left a message on a Defense Department hotline andcalled four numbers at Fort Lewis. He said he spoke with an on-dutysergeant and left a message at an Army Criminal Investigations Divisionoffice before reaching the base's command center.

In that call, an official told him that if his son wasn'twilling to come forward while deployed, there was nothing the basecould do, Winfield recalled in interviews with the AP and in a swornstatement to Army investigators.

The official suggested the soldier keep his head down until hisdeployment ended and investigators could look into his claims, he said.

The elder Winfield told AP he regrets not writing down theidentities of those he spoke with. He said he did not give any of themGibbs' name, but did identify his son. He said one of his son'ssergeants had been involved in a civilian's murder and was planningmore.

His son soon expressed concern about what would happen if Armyofficials stateside began making inquiries, and asked his dad to backoff. The elder Winfield said he complied.

A week later, the second killing occurred. On May 2, the third killing took place.

The killings eventually came to light when the soldier who hadreported the drug use told investigators that Morlock "had three priorkills that none of which I believe were actually justified."

Preliminary hearings in the case are expected to begin this fall.
 
[h1]Soldier's father: Army was warned of murder plot[/h1]

SEATTLE – The father of a U.S. soldier serving in Afghanistan sayshe tried nearly a half dozen times to pass an urgent message from hisson to the Army: Troops in his unit had murdered an Afghan civilian,planned more killings and threatened him to keep quiet about it.

By the time officials arrested suspects months later, two more Afghans were dead.

And much to Christopher Winfield's horror, his son Adam was among the five Fort Lewis-based soldiers charged in the killings.

Theelder Winfield told The Associated Press in an exclusive interview thathis son did not kill the unarmed man and would never have been in thesituation if the Army had investigated the warnings he says he passedalong to Fort Lewis.

An Army spokeswoman at thebase said she could not comment on whether they received such a tip orif so, whether it was acted on.

But the newdetails about Winfield's efforts to alert the Army and his son's pleasraised questions about the Army's handling of the case and its systemfor allowing soldiers to report misconduct by their colleagues.

Thesoldiers have been accused of conspiracy and premeditated murder. Thehighest ranking is Staff Sgt. Calvin Gibbs, who, along with Cpl. JeremyMorlock, are accused of taking part in all three killings.

Pfc.Andrew Holmes is charged with murder in the first killing, and Spc.Michael Wagnon is charged in another. Both deny the charges.

Winfieldis charged with murder in the final killing, and his attorney, EricMontalvo, insists he was ordered to shoot after Gibbs hit the civilianwith a grenade. Winfield deliberately shot high and missed, he said.

Gibbshas denied the charges. His attorney, Phillip Stackhouse, said hisclient maintains that the shootings were "appropriate engagements" anddenies involvement in any conspiracy to kill civilians.

The soldiers, all assigned to the 5th Stryker Brigade, deployed in July 2009 and were stationed at a base in Kandahar Province.

The AP reviewed witness and defendant statements as well as documents filed with an Army magistrate for this report.

Gibbs,25, of Billings, Mont., arrived in the unit late last year and soonbegan discussing how easy it would be to kill civilians, some in theplatoon told Army investigators. He and Cpl. Jeremy Morlock, 22,planned "scenarios" in which they could carry out such killings, theysaid.

Morlock, of Wasilla, Alaska, gave investigators extensive statements describing the plot.

Morlock'slawyer did not immediately return calls and e-mails from the AP, butpreviously told The Seattle Times that the statements were made underthe influence of prescription drugs to treat traumatic brain injuriesfrom explosions and should be suppressed as evidence.

Ineach of the killings, Morlock said, he and Gibbs planned and initiatedthe attack and enlisted one other soldier to participate.

Thefirst indication for Christopher Winfield and his wife, Emma, thatsomething was amiss came Jan. 15, the day of the first killing.

"I'mnot sure what to do about something that happened out here but I needto be secretive about this," their son wrote them in a Facebookmessage. The couple gave the AP copies of the Facebook messages,Internet chats and their phone records.

Winfield, 22, of Cape Coral, Fla., didn't immediately providemore details, and over the next month he had little contact with hisparents. They said they checked constantly to see if he was online.

On Feb. 14, he told his parents what happened in a lengthyInternet chat: Members of his unit on patrol had killed "some innocentguy about my age just farming." He said he did not witness the killing.

But, he wrote, those involved told him about it and urged him to "get one of my own."

He said that virtually everyone in the platoon was aware of what was going on, but no one seemed to object.

"If you talk to anyone on my behalf, I have proof that they areplanning another one in the form of an AK-47 they want to drop on aguy."

He added that he didn't know whom to trust and feared for his safety if his comrades learned he was talking to authorities.

"Should I do the right thing and put myself in danger for it. Orjust shut up and deal with it," he wrote his parents. "There are nomore good men left here. It eats away at my conscience everyday."

In statements to investigators, at least three platoon memberssaid Gibbs directly threatened Winfield. Morlock added that Gibbsdevised "scenarios" for Winfield's death, one of which involved Gibbsdropping heavy weights on him as he was working out.

Gibbs accosted Winfield as he was on his way to speak with a chaplain and warned him to keep quiet, Montalvo said.

Soldiers serving in a combat theater typically would reportcrimes up the chain of command, to military investigators or chaplains,to members of the Defense Department inspector general's office, oreven to another unit if their own commanders are involved.

One soldier, Pfc. Justin A. Stoner, who reported hashishsmoking in the unit, said he was beaten by several platoon members.Gibbs and Morlock then paid him a visit, with Gibbs rolling out on thefloor a set of severed fingers, he told investigators.

Morlock told him that "if I don't want to end up like that guy ... shut the hell up."

Winfield asked his parents to call an Army hotline because he didn't want anyone to overhear him using the phone.

His father, a Marine veteran, was shocked, and made five calls to military officials that day, his phone records show.

He said he left a message on a Defense Department hotline andcalled four numbers at Fort Lewis. He said he spoke with an on-dutysergeant and left a message at an Army Criminal Investigations Divisionoffice before reaching the base's command center.

In that call, an official told him that if his son wasn'twilling to come forward while deployed, there was nothing the basecould do, Winfield recalled in interviews with the AP and in a swornstatement to Army investigators.

The official suggested the soldier keep his head down until hisdeployment ended and investigators could look into his claims, he said.

The elder Winfield told AP he regrets not writing down theidentities of those he spoke with. He said he did not give any of themGibbs' name, but did identify his son. He said one of his son'ssergeants had been involved in a civilian's murder and was planningmore.

His son soon expressed concern about what would happen if Armyofficials stateside began making inquiries, and asked his dad to backoff. The elder Winfield said he complied.

A week later, the second killing occurred. On May 2, the third killing took place.

The killings eventually came to light when the soldier who hadreported the drug use told investigators that Morlock "had three priorkills that none of which I believe were actually justified."

Preliminary hearings in the case are expected to begin this fall.
 
the quran is nothin but a dif version of the bible alah is god smh religion is getting dumb to me smh
 
the quran is nothin but a dif version of the bible alah is god smh religion is getting dumb to me smh
 
I could look the other way if it was Afghani soldiers in combat, but civilians, that's disgusting and appalling. I hope they get prosecuted to the fullest extent.
 
I could look the other way if it was Afghani soldiers in combat, but civilians, that's disgusting and appalling. I hope they get prosecuted to the fullest extent.
 
Originally Posted by JohnnyRedStorm

I could look the other way if it was Afghani soldiers in combat, but civilians, that's disgusting and appalling. I hope they get prosecuted to the fullest extent.
Click to expand...

The taliban blend in with the civilians. There is hardly any distinction.

However, it seems like these guys went over the top with cutting off the fingers etc.

War will #+%# your mind. Thats for sure.
 
Originally Posted by JohnnyRedStorm

I could look the other way if it was Afghani soldiers in combat, but civilians, that's disgusting and appalling. I hope they get prosecuted to the fullest extent.
Click to expand...

The taliban blend in with the civilians. There is hardly any distinction.

However, it seems like these guys went over the top with cutting off the fingers etc.

War will #+%# your mind. Thats for sure.
 
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