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Trial begins for soldier charged with killing Afghan civilians

Other News Materials 1 November 2011 06:01 (UTC +04:00)
A military court martial began Monday against the alleged ringleader of a group of soldiers accused of murdering three civilians in Afghanistan, DPA reported.
Trial begins for soldier charged with killing Afghan civilians

A military court martial began Monday against the alleged ringleader of a group of soldiers accused of murdering three civilians in Afghanistan, DPA reported.

Staff Sergeant Calvin Gibbs is accused of being the leader of the so-called "Kill Team" that gained notoriety last year after photos of them with corpses of Afghan civilians were published.

Gibb's lawyer admitted that he had shot one of the three Afghans, but claimed it was in self defence, and that he had nothing to do with the two other killings. He also admitted that Gibbs had cut a finger off one of the corpses, National Public Radio reported.

Two other soldiers have pleaded guilty, and one testified Monday. Another soldier admitted to involuntary manslaughter, the Seattle Times reported.

Five soldiers allegedly planned the murders and then planted weapons on the victims to cover their crimes. They also allegedly cut off fingers and other body parts of their victims to keep as trophies, according to documents released last year.

The murders were allegedly committed in January, February and May 2010 by the soldiers from an armoured brigade out of Washington state that was deployed to Kandahar province.

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