June 2
SEALs attorneys say airport shut down after trial
Wednesday, April 28, 2010 at 8:59AM by Kay B. Day
Author Betty Kilbride is donating $4 for each book sold to the SEALs defense fund.Two attorneys for US Navy SEALs tried in Baghdad on various charges related to safeguarding a detainee who is an alleged terrorist said the airport shut down after the trials. “The Ministry of Transportation shut down air space when the trials concluded,” said Monica Lombardi, attorney for SO 1st class Julio Huertas. Lombardi appeared on Fox and Friends on Wednesday morning with Greg McCormack, attorney for SO 2nd class Jonathan Keefe.
Huertas was tried and found not guilty in Baghdad on Friday in the first of three trials over allegations related to incidents in Sept., 2009. Keefe was found not guilty the next day.
Rep. Dan Burton (R-Ind.) led an effort by Republicans in Congress to get the charges dropped. Burton had received information about charges against the SEALs early on.
The detainee is believed to be the terrorist who planned and implemented the killings of private contractors in Fallujah. The contractors’ bodies were set afire and then hung from a bridge in a deliberate display of disrespect for the dead.
It is possible the charges were brought for political purposes. The murdered contractors worked for Blackwater, a frequent target of leftwingers. Press coverage after the verdicts by a leading wire service in the US claimed the verdict would erode relations with Iraqis, apparently placing a higher value on politics than on justice.
Bias in the wire story is apparent if compared to coverage of the SEALs' verdicts by the BBC.
The BBC is not perceived as a conservative news outlet.
Asked about the “dynamics” in the courtroom, Lombardi said there were supporters for “both sides,” meaning the SEALs and the alleged terrorist. “It was very quiet,” she said.
McCormack said he expects SO 2nd class Matthew McCabe will be acquitted. The detainee Ahmed Hashim Abed will not be at the third SEAL’s trial because McCabe’s attorney agreed to accept testimony by deposition. It would be virtually unthinkable for McCabe to be found guilty after Huertas and Keefe were acquitted. McCabe will be tried in Norfolk (Va.) on Monday, May 3.
Various defense funds have been established and information about them is posted on the Facebook page Support the Navy SEALs Who Captured Ahmed Hashim Abed. TUSR has contributed to a fund at Maritime Tactical Security.
A military advocate not connected with the government, author Betty Kilbride, is donating money from the sales of her book ‘Soul of American Warriors’ (Father’s Press) to the SEALs fund.
On Saturday Burton echoed the opinion of millions of Americans, judging from numbers in several different support groups for the SEALs on Facebook. He told Fox News the SEALs “should never have been tried in the first place.”
It is impossible to gauge the emotional damage the three SEALs’ families have faced throughout this ordeal. Stress on families whose loved ones serve is already at a high level without the added stress of charges some of us perceive as purely political. In addition to that, the SEALs face debt from hiring private attorneys deemed necessary for a viable defense.
Thus far no one has addressed why the airport was shut down after the trials and no media have questioned the action by the Iraqi government.
GOP, Military, Politics tagged Ahmed Hashim Abed, Baghdad, Monica Lombardi, Navy SEAL3, military trials
Reader Comments (5)
Ms. Day: Great article, however you misspelled Mr. McCormack's name. Keep up the good writing!
I just caught that a second ago! Will fix immediately and thank you.
Addendum: Do you know whether the Iraqi government gave a reason for shutting down the airspace?
And finally, TUSR would love to interview Mr. McCormack for a followup! :>)
Unsure as to the rationale behind shutting the airspace as I am stuck in MA wrapping up law school and wasn't able to make the trip with him. Greg is my father, if you would like to speak with him, shoot me an email and I will provide his personal email address.
It's clear. The airspace was shut down as in inconvenience and insult to the people trying to leave the country.
In short, it's exactly the kind of thing Obama would do.... or would ask someone else to do on his behalf. Someone in Iraq's government, say, who hated Bush and hates the SEALS and is vindictive and works with Obama to make things hard on our troops and the people who support them.
I"m just sayin'....
Great Article Angel Face! As always you - dig deep to find answers! It is awful for someone to turn their head and pretend not to see. You aren't guilty of such and I like that! HUGS !