Aussie troops under investigation for cutting off dead Afghan insurgent's hands

[CougarKing]

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Australian Troops Alleged to Have Cut Off Hands
Associated Press| by Rod McGuirk

CANBERRA, Australia -- Australian special forces troops are under investigation for allegedly cutting off the hands of at least one dead insurgent in Afghanistan, a national broadcaster reported Friday.

The hands were brought back to the Australian base in Tarin Kowt in Uruzgan province to be fingerprinted after a battle in which four insurgents were killed, Australian Broadcasting Corp. said.

The Australian Defense Force confirmed that it is investigating "an incident of potential misconduct" during a combined operation of the Afghan National Security Forces and Australia's Special Operations Task Group in Zabul province in April, but didn't provide details.

The combined Afghan-Australian operation had been targeting an insurgent commander responsible for an insurgent network operating in and around Uruzgan province, the statement said.

"Following the mission, an incident of potential misconduct was raised through the ADF's internal command chain," the ADF said.


Australian troops are required to take fingerprints and eye scans of very insurgent they kill, if it is possible to do so. Troops are equipped to conduct these investigations in the field. The information is then compared to a growing national biometric data base of insurgent suspects in an effort to identify them.

ABC did not report why the hands were not fingerprinted at the scene of the battle.

The report said that an investigator from the Australian Defense Force Investigative Service -- a branch of the military -- told troops during a briefing that it didn't matter how the fingerprints were taken and that chopping off the hands of the dead and bringing them back to base was acceptable.

The mutilation or mistreatment of dead bodies can be a violation of the laws of war.

John Blaxland, a researcher at Australian National University's Strategic and Defense Studies Center, said if the allegations were true, the behavior was an aberration of the high standards the Australian military had maintained during more than a decade in Afghanistan. Blaxland said it was possible that a "temporary exception" from procedures had been allowed in the case of "a high value target."

Defense analyst Allan Behm said such a "direction would have to be cleared at the very highest levels." He said the allegations amounted to prima facie case of a breach of the rules of law.

Neil James, executive director of the Australian Defense Association, an influential security think-tank, said the alleged actions might have been justified by the circumstances and that it shouldn't be equated with the 2011 case of a group of U.S. Marines urinating on the bodies of dead Taliban fighters.

"If it occurred, it would be unusual. It would not necessarily be illegal," James told ABC.

Australia has 1,550 troops in Afghanistan and is the biggest contributing country outside NATO. Australia has contributed the largest number of elite special forces to the campaign after the United States and Britain.

Prime Minister Kevin Rudd said he had confidence in Defense Force Chief Lt. Gen. David Hurley to investigate the allegations.

 

[Jarnhamar]

They have to take fingerprints and eye scans of people they kill? gross

 

[The Bread Guy]

Hey, even this guy ended up being exonnerated and allowed to return to duty.  YMMV, though.

 

[Jarnhamar]

Doesn't taking eye scans of dead bodies kinda seem like you're disrespecting the dead in a way?  Well at least it would be easy for the Taliban PR machine to make it seem like that.

If I was them I would start spreading around to illiterate tribesmen that the infidels are opening the eyes of dead afghans and stealing their souls with their machines.

 

[jollyjacktar]

FFS I wish the PC Brigade would FO and mind their own god damned business.  It's not like this allegeded incident was for the purpose of trophy taking, or golden shower parties...  : 

Everytime you turn around there's some frigging busybody or another trying to make points about one thing or another.

 

[captloadie]

FFS I wish the PC Brigade would FO and mind their own god damned business.  It's not like this allegeded incident was for the purpose of trophy taking, or golden shower parties...  : 

Everytime you turn around there's some frigging busybody or another trying to make points about one thing or another.

Really?? You think that be against the cutting the hands off a dead body is too PC??

 

[UnwiseCritic]

"The role of Royal Australian Infantry Corps (RA Inf) is to seek out and close with the enemy, to kill or capture him, to seize and hold ground and to repel attack, by day or night, regardless of season, weather or terrain."----and to identify the dead by any means necessary.

Really?? You think that be against the cutting the hands off a dead body is too PC??

As long as it's not for trophy taking and it helps paint a picture, what's wrong with it?

 

[jollyjacktar]

Really?? You think that be against the cutting the hands off a dead body is too PC??

Yes, I do.  As it wasn't for nefarious deeds or for disrespecting the dead just for the sake of, but for a "work related" purpose such as identification... Yes. I do. 

 

[The Bread Guy]

This bit, if reported correctly, jumps out for me....

.... The report said that an investigator from the Australian Defense Force Investigative Service -- a branch of the military -- told troops during a briefing that it didn't matter how the fingerprints were taken and that chopping off the hands of the dead and bringing them back to base was acceptable ....

If this was said, quite the mitigating circumstance.  In this case (where a Ghurka who cut off a Taliban's head in battle, and brought it back for DNA analysis, was eventally exxonerated and allowed to return to work), part of the issue in that case was a misunderstanding of the rules re:  collection of DNA.

As long as it's not for trophy taking and it helps paint a picture, what's wrong with it?

Zackly - and the investigation under way should sort that out.

For the record, here's the ADF's Info-machine statements from today ....

The Australian Defence Force (ADF) continues to investigate an incident of potential misconduct during a combined operation between Afghan National Security Forces and Australia’s Special Operations Task Group (SOTG) in Zabul province on 28 April 2013.

The combined operation was targeting an insurgent commander responsible for a key insurgent network operating in and around Uruzgan province.

During the clearance operation, Australian personnel were engaged in a high intensity, complex and dangerous battle.

Four insurgents were engaged and killed during the battle.

Following the mission, an incident of potential misconduct was raised through the ADF’s internal command chain.

The ADF takes any potential occurrence of misconduct by Australian personnel very seriously.

The ADF, in cooperation with the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF), immediately commenced an investigation into this incident when the matter was reported.

ISAF has also informed the Afghan Government of the situation.

Members of the ADF operate under strict rules of engagement designed to protect our troops on operations, while ensuring that the actions of Australian forces are consistent with our obligations under Australian and international law in protecting the lives and property of the innocent.

The ADF also takes all reasonable steps to ensure its operations do not breach Afghan customs or cause offence by inadvertently disrespecting religious beliefs or norms.

Given the public interest in these matters, the Chief of the Defence Force, General David Hurley issued a media release on 8 May 2013 confirming an investigation was underway.

However, given the investigation is not complete, it would be inappropriate for Defence to comment further at this time.

.... and from 8 May of this year

The Chief of Defence Force, General David Hurley, has confirmed an investigation is underway into a combined operation between Afghan National Security Forces and Australia’s Special Operations Task Group in Zabul province on 28 April 2013.

“The ADF can confirm that a combined Afghan National Security Force and Special Operations Task Group force element conducted a mission in Zabul province on 28 April 2013 to target an insurgent commander responsible for a key insurgent network operating in and around Uruzgan province,” General Hurley said.

“During the course of clearing the targeted area, the force element positively identified several armed insurgents moving to gain a tactical advantage and due to the threat posed, the combined ANSF and SOTG force element engaged and killed four insurgents.

“An incident of potential misconduct during the operation has been raised through the internal national command chain.”

General Hurley said the incident is currently being investigated by the ADF in cooperation with ISAF.

Defence will not comment further on this incident until the investigation is completed.