US soldier pleads guilty to rape and murder in Iraq

Three other soldiers also could face the death penalty in the case. Sgt. Paul Cortez, Pfc. Jesse Spielman and Pfc. Bryan Howard have been charged with capital murder and rape and face court martial at Fort Campbell. Former Pfc. Steven Green, 21, was discharged from the military two months after the murders. He has been arrested and faces 17 counts of rape, murder and obstruction of justice in federal district court in Paducah, Kentucky. Another soldier, Sgt. Anthony Yribe, is charged with dereliction of duty and making a false statement for allegedly failing to report the attack, although he did not participate in it.

The victim of the rape and murder was Abeer Qassim Hamza Janabi, described by local Iraqi officials in the town of Mahmudiya as 14 years old. Killed along with her were her father, Qassim Hamza Janabi, her mother, Fikhriya Taha Muhsen, and her five-year-old sister, Hadeel Qassim Hamza Janabi.

According to the accounts of this horrific crime provided by Army investigators, Steven Green shot to death the father, mother and younger sister while Cortez and Barker were raping the teenager. Green then raped the young girl again, shot her to death and set her body on fire. Spielman and Howard stood guard outside the home, then helped cover up the crime.

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http://wsws.org/articles/2006/nov2006/iraq-n16.shtml