Snipers Baiting Iraqis

[Cynic Sage]

Under a program developed by a Defense Department warfare unit, Army snipers have begun using a new method to kill Iraqis suspected of being insurgents, using fake weapons and bomb-making material as bait and then killing anyone who picks them up, according to testimony presented in a military court.

The existence of the classified “baiting program,” as it has come to be known, was disclosed as part of defense lawyers’ efforts to respond to murder charges the Army pressed this summer against three members of a Ranger sniper team. Each soldier is accused of killing an unarmed Iraqi in three separate shootings between April and June near Iskandariya, and with planting “drop weapons” like detonation wires or other incriminating evidence on the bodies of the victims.

Source. (http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/25/world/middleeast/25abuse.html?_r=3&oref=slogin&oref=slogin&oref=slogin)

:twitch:

[Jme]

That's just insane, the person picking it up could just as easily be picking it up to dispose of them or prevent their children from finding it.

[Sheepdog]

sounds absolutely terrible. they better have their day in court.

[FirstSunday33ad]

Under a program developed by a Defense Department warfare unit, Army snipers have begun using a new method to kill Iraqis suspected of being insurgents, using fake weapons and bomb-making material as bait and then killing anyone who picks them up, according to testimony presented in a military court.

The existence of the classified “baiting program,” as it has come to be known, was disclosed as part of defense lawyers’ efforts to respond to murder charges the Army pressed this summer against three members of a Ranger sniper team. Each soldier is accused of killing an unarmed Iraqi in three separate shootings between April and June near Iskandariya, and with planting “drop weapons” like detonation wires or other incriminating evidence on the bodies of the victims.

Source. (http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/25/world/middleeast/25abuse.html?_r=3&oref=slogin&oref=slogin&oref=slogin)

:twitch:


Maybe I'm missing something but sounds like a very old idea with a new twist.

In previous conflicts, guerrillas would booby trap toys, food parcels, packets of candy etc, (stuff the American soldier would distribute) with the intention of killing and terrorizing anyone who supported the US. The rationale was none of their people would pick it up and those who did would blame the Americans for planting the bombs.

In this case, by itself there is no war crime being committed, the people picking up the weapons are hardly likely to be planning on doing anything benign with the weapons. However, like the candy bomb of previous wars, it is probable that this would not succeed either. In time people learned to avoid the toys, food and candy lying on the ground or sent a patsy to pick it up for them. That is what would occur here as well. The insurgents would simply learn to pay a patsy a few dollars to get the found weapons.

[Jme]

Maybe I'm missing something but sounds like a very old idea with a new twist.

I don't think anyone is suggesting that this is somehow original - just very bad.

In this case, by itself there is no war crime being committed...

If they are shooting unarmed civilians for picking things up off the floor then it is - detonator wiring is not in itself a weapon.

... the people picking up the weapons are hardly likely to be planning on doing anything benign with the weapons.

There is no way of knowing this - they could be picking it up to hand it in, to keep it out of the hands of children that may play in the area or even to try and sell it.

None of these things are illegal - actually what sort of guns are civilians allowed to have nowadays in Iraq?

[Bill the Cat]

There is no shred of evidence that this "baiting plan" was anything more than a concoction of these snipers. Paul Boyce, an Army spokesman... also said there are no classified programs that authorize the murder of Iraqi civilians or the use of "drop weapons" to make killings appeared to be legally justified, which is what Vela and the two other snipers are accused of doing.