Lensmith
04-05-2006, 03:25 PM
http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=2630&ncid=2630&e=10&u=/ap/20060405/ap_on_re_mi_ea/iraq_cbs_cameraman_1
CBS Cameraman Is Acquitted by Iraqi Court
By VANESSA ARRINGTON, Associated Press Writer
Wed Apr 5, 8:48 AM ET
An Iraqi criminal court Wednesday acquitted a CBS News cameraman accused of insurgent activity a year after he was wounded and detained by the U.S. military. But the cameraman, Abdul Ameer Younis Hussein, was returned to Abu Ghraib prison pending final U.S. military approval of his release.
A three-judge panel ruled that there was insufficient evidence against Hussein, a 25-year-old Iraqi, who was filming the aftermath of a car bomb for CBS in the northern city of Mosul when he was apprehended.
"I am so happy," said Hussein's brother, Mohammed Younis Hussein, who traveled from Mosul for the trial. "I have cried a lot these months, but now I feel I can rest. It's incredible."
The defendant, who wore a yellow jumpsuit, was not permitted to speak to reporters. Between appearances on the witness stand, he had to kneel on the floor in the back of the courtroom, facing a wall. Half a dozen American soldiers in full body armor stood nearby, guarding him and other Iraqi defendants, who also faced the wall.
Hussein had been charged with participating in insurgent activity under Section 194 of the Iraqi criminal code. Scott Horton, one of his American lawyers, said the U.S. military had claimed he had prior knowledge of the car bombing and celebrated with other Iraqis in the aftermath, chanting "God is Great."
But even the prosecution said there was not enough evidence, and that they wanted to drop the case.
In testimony to the panel, Hussein said he was filming a celebration at a university in Mosul last April when he heard the explosion of a car bomb. He said he called a colleague at a French news agency, to find out more about the location, then raced to the site in a taxi.
He said he encountered American troops surrounding the area, and waited until they cleared to go in and film. After getting some footage, he said he heard people start yelling there were snipers in the area, and he felt a shot.
"They shot me in the hip," he said of the American troops. "I tried to stand up, but I couldn't."
After five minutes, troops arrived and took him to the hospital.
"All the time they were cursing me, and calling me a terrorist," he said. "I kept saying, I'm not a terrorist, I'm a correspondent."
After the bombing, Hussein had allegedly been standing near a man the U.S. military said was waving a gun and inciting the crowd. Hussein denied any involvement with such man.
Hussein faced life in prison had he been convicted.
CBS Cameraman Is Acquitted by Iraqi Court
By VANESSA ARRINGTON, Associated Press Writer
Wed Apr 5, 8:48 AM ET
An Iraqi criminal court Wednesday acquitted a CBS News cameraman accused of insurgent activity a year after he was wounded and detained by the U.S. military. But the cameraman, Abdul Ameer Younis Hussein, was returned to Abu Ghraib prison pending final U.S. military approval of his release.
A three-judge panel ruled that there was insufficient evidence against Hussein, a 25-year-old Iraqi, who was filming the aftermath of a car bomb for CBS in the northern city of Mosul when he was apprehended.
"I am so happy," said Hussein's brother, Mohammed Younis Hussein, who traveled from Mosul for the trial. "I have cried a lot these months, but now I feel I can rest. It's incredible."
The defendant, who wore a yellow jumpsuit, was not permitted to speak to reporters. Between appearances on the witness stand, he had to kneel on the floor in the back of the courtroom, facing a wall. Half a dozen American soldiers in full body armor stood nearby, guarding him and other Iraqi defendants, who also faced the wall.
Hussein had been charged with participating in insurgent activity under Section 194 of the Iraqi criminal code. Scott Horton, one of his American lawyers, said the U.S. military had claimed he had prior knowledge of the car bombing and celebrated with other Iraqis in the aftermath, chanting "God is Great."
But even the prosecution said there was not enough evidence, and that they wanted to drop the case.
In testimony to the panel, Hussein said he was filming a celebration at a university in Mosul last April when he heard the explosion of a car bomb. He said he called a colleague at a French news agency, to find out more about the location, then raced to the site in a taxi.
He said he encountered American troops surrounding the area, and waited until they cleared to go in and film. After getting some footage, he said he heard people start yelling there were snipers in the area, and he felt a shot.
"They shot me in the hip," he said of the American troops. "I tried to stand up, but I couldn't."
After five minutes, troops arrived and took him to the hospital.
"All the time they were cursing me, and calling me a terrorist," he said. "I kept saying, I'm not a terrorist, I'm a correspondent."
After the bombing, Hussein had allegedly been standing near a man the U.S. military said was waving a gun and inciting the crowd. Hussein denied any involvement with such man.
Hussein faced life in prison had he been convicted.