Falsification charges dropped against SEAL Keefe

Recent developments have further weakened the case against three Navy SEALs charged with assaulting an al Qaeda detainee. One development will impact the case for all three—the inadmissibility of a statement given by Petty Officer Jonathan Keefe.

At a Scottsdale, Ariz. rally on Saturday, Petty Officer Matthew McCabe - the only SEAL actually accused of striking the detainee - announced that he passed an independently-administered polygraph on March 16.

Neal Puckett, McCabe's attorney told The US Report, “No military polygraph was administered.”

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Author hopes readers will buy book, help Navy SEAL3

Author Elizabeth Kilbride said readers who want to help the SEALs should type the word 'SEAL' in the special instruction box at the publisher site online.Betty Kilbride spent time with soldiers on the front lines in Iraq, and after she returned to the U.S., she recounted her experiences in the book ‘Soul of American Warriors.’ Kilbride’s narrative presents a striking contrast to most media accounts of what happens in a war zone. Kilbride and Father's Press, the publisher of her book, have pledged to contribute $4 from the sale of each book to a defense fund for 3 Navy SEALs who face different allegations about the treatment of an Iraqi detainee believed to be involved in the murder and desecration of American contractors.

Kilbride has deep roots in the military—her father and brother served in two different branches.

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Capt. Bjork’s attorney Kelley to file motion to dismiss

by Kay B. Day

Victor Kelley, founder of the National Military Justice Group, told The US Report he will have ‘multiple motions’ in the case of Capt. Carl Bjork. Bjork faces murder charges based on accusations leveled by a former Iraqi police chief in Hit. Kelley said one motion will ask for dismissal for lack of a speedy trial. “The government investigation was complete in September, 2008,” he said. “For the life of me, I don’t know why we’re getting around to a trial…if the case survives it will be tried April 22.” Kelley spoke to TUSR by phone on Friday.

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Milblogger’s post a backgrounder for Capt. Carl Bjork’s case

By Kay B. Day

Capt. Carl Bjork with children in Iraq. Those who served with Bjork said he read the Koran in order to better understand the Iraqi people. [Photo courtesy of Bjork family.]Following a link within the statistics program here at The US Report, I was surprised to find information indirectly related to the case of Capt. Carl Bjork. I found the de facto backgrounder in a post written in 2007 by Michael Yon who was embedded in Hit. Yon is a writer who also served as a Green Beret and has extensive experience reporting from war zones.

Ironically I found Yon’s relevant article by chance, but his very detailed account of events in Hit in Anbar Province details one of Bjork’s accusers before the captain faced any charges. There were a few surprises.

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Military cancels detainee interview in Navy SEAL case

By Chris Carter

The military has canceled the deposition of an alleged terrorist mastermind who claimed that he was assaulted by the military following his capture last year. The law firm Puckett and Faraj, representing Navy SEAL Matthew McCabe, made the announcement on Sunday.

Major General Charles Cleveland, the convening authority for the upcoming special courts-martial for three of the Navy SEALs involved in the operation, has decided to cancel the trip to Iraq to depose Ahmed Hashim Abed. Since the SEALs have a Constitutional right to confront their accuser in court, the alleged terrorist's statements won't be used as evidence for the case.

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Ten sites join Maritime Tactical Security in support for Navy SEALs

by Kay B. Day

Ten websites are supporting three Navy SEALs facing court martial because of accusations related to a detained terror suspect. The websites represent a Support The Navy SEALs Facebook group with more than 108,000 members, a Christian publisher, Republican congressman Dan Burton (Ind.), Republican congressional candidate Scott Taylor (Va.) who served as a SEAL,  Sark Securities and others. The US Report is among the ten sites supporting the SEALs.

Burton and 40 Republican congressmen have written a formal letter  to the military commander on the SEALs' behalf. Burton wrote, "There is more than enough doubt as to whether these SEALs committed any wrongdoing at all."

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Capt. Bjork legal fund set up

by Kay B. Day

The family of Capt. Carl Bjork, with urging from friends and supporters, has set up a legal fund to help with his defense. A decorated soldier serving in the U.S. Army, Bjork has been praised by many who have served with him. One soldier who wishes to remain anonymous told The US Report by phone his impression of Bjork, “He’s the ultimate American soldier. He does everything by the book. He even read the Koran before he went to Iraq. He would never do anything unlawful.”

Friends and family of Capt. Carl Bjork (U.S. Army) have set up a defense fund for the soldier who received a Bronze Star and who now stands accused of murder in a case that, based on what is known, makes little sense.
At the website, a synopsis sums up what is known about the case against Bjork: “His accusers, who are the only witnesses/evidence in this alleged crime, are four disgraced former Iraqi police who are imprisoned for the murder of two Iraqi civilians - believed to be Iraqi al queda. Evidence suggests that one of these Iraqi police, an Iraqi Police Colonel, was motivated by revenge to commit these murders, as his brother was beheaded in a public forum by the Iraqi al queda killed in this crime. Now these disgraced Iraqis are looking for a "get out of jail free" ticket, and have accused Carl of ordering the murders to take place. Carl was not even present at the scene of these murders. He simply trained the Iraqi police as part of his duty.”

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