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In the spirit of being bold, I've made this article just about Abeer, there is an article just about the murders already. I've cleaned the page page up a lot, and fixed the dead links. |
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{{Mergeto|Mahmudiyah killings|date=August 2007}} |
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'''Abeer Qassim Hamza al-Janabi''' (عبير قاسم حمزه الجنابي) ([[August 19]], [[1991]] - [[March 12]], [[2006]]) was a 14-year-old [[Iraq]]i female who was [[gang raped]] and murdered along with her family by [[U.S. Army|U.S. troops]]. |
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== Background == |
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{{Cleanup|date=June 2007}} |
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Abeer Hamza lived with her mother and father ([[Fakhriya Taha Muhasen]], 34, and Qassim Hamza Raheem, 45, respectively) and their 3 other children, 7 year old daughter [[Hadeel Qassim Hamza]], 13 year son Mohammed and his younger brother. Their house was situated approximately 200 metres away from a 6 manned U.S. [[Civilian checkpoint|traffic checkpoint]],<ref>FindLaw (actual transcript) [http://news.findlaw.com/cnn/docs/iraq/usgreen63006cmp4.html] |
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</ref> southwest of the village of [[Yusufiyah]], which lies west of the larger township of [[Mahmoudiyah|Al-Mahmudiyah]] (in the coalition termed area ''"[[Triangle of Death (Iraq)|Triangle of Death]]").''<ref>The Telegraph [http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2006/07/09/wirq09.xml]</ref> |
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The '''Abeer Qassim Hamza al-Janabi murder''' (عبير قاسم حمزه الجنابي; concerns a 14-year-old [[Iraq]]i girl who lived in the village of [[Mahmoudiyah]] southeast of [[Baghdad]] who was [[gang-raped]] and killed by [[United States|American]] [[U.S. Army|troops]]. <ref name="G1">[[Ghaith Abdul-Ahad|Abdul-Ahad, Ghaith]]. [http://www.guardian.co.uk/Iraq/Story/0,,1926954,00.html "We have been silent about many crimes but we will not stand rape"]. ''[[The Guardian]]'', [[20 October]] [[2006]].</ref><ref name=Wapo060704>{{cite news |
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| first= |
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| last= |
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| author=Josh White |
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| url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/07/03/AR2006070301206.html |
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| title=Ex-Soldier Charged in Killing of Iraqi Family |
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| work= |
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| publisher=The [[Washington Post]] |
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| pages= |
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| page=A01 |
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| date=[[July 3]], [[2006]] |
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| accessdate=4 July 2006 |
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}}</ref> Hamza, her parents and her younger sister were shot and killed in their home in Mahmoudiyah on or around [[March 12]], [[2006]]. A discharged U.S. serviceman, Pfc. [[Steven Dale Green|Steven D. Green]], was arrested and charged on [[July 3]], [[2006]] with raping and killing Hamza and killing her father Qassim Hamza Raheem, 45, her mother [[Fakhriya Taha Muhasen]], 34, and her seven-year-old sister, Hadeel Qassim Hamza. Initial details published by American media reported that Abeer Qassim Hamza was 25 years old, and that the others killed were her husband and child, details which were incorrect. Others reported that her parents were killed before the soldiers raped Abeer. <ref>Pilecki, Michelle. [http://www.huffingtonpost.com/nellie-b/uk-paper-confirms-revenge_b_24668.html "UK Paper Confirms Revenge as Motive for GIs' Mutilation Deaths"]. ''[[The Huffington Post]]''. [[7 September]] 2006.</ref> |
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According to her neighbours, Abeer spent most of her days at home as her parents would not allow her to go to school following security concerns. The American soldiers would often watch Abeer from their checkpoint, doing her [[chores]] and tending the garden. The neighbours had warned Abeer's father of this but he replied it was not a problem as she was just a small girl.<ref>The Telegraph [http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2006/07/09/wirq09.xml]</ref> |
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According to one witness, Omar, a 13 year old neighbour, Abeer's father was told that there were Americans in his house. Abeer always told her mother that she was afraid of the soldiers. Her mother was sending her to stay with a neighbor, but she didn't get there in time. Qassim Hamza entered the house thereafter to "see what was happening". Omar reports to hearing a sound "like beating a tin barrel with a stick a few times", and later saw five Americans leave the house, one of whom carried two guns. Omar's mother claims that she and her son went to the neighbour's door, shouting through asking if they required assistance, but received no reply. She says she then noticed smoke coming from their window which led her to scream for help from neighbours, several of whom knocked down the door into the house. When she entered she found the remains of Abeer Qassim Hamza. "She lay there, one leg stretched and the other bended and her dress was lifted to her neck".<ref name="G1" /> |
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Abeer's brother Mohammed (who survived along with his younger brother, due to being at school at the time of the killings) recalls the soldiers often searched the house. And on one such occasion [[Private first class|PFC]] [[Steven Dale Green]] ran his index finger down Abeer's cheek, which had terrified the 14 year old girl.<ref>Time [http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1211562,00.html]</ref> |
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In November, Specialist [[James P. Barker|James Barker]] , 24, admitted rape and murder over the killings and was sentenced to 90 years. [[Paul Cortez]] broke down as he confessed to raping the girl as her parents and sister were shot dead in another room. |
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Abeer's mother told her relatives before the murders, that whenever she caught the soldiers staring at Abeer, they would give her the thumbs-up sign, point to her daughter and say "Very good, very good." Evidently this had concerned her and she made plans for Abeer to spend night times sleeping at her uncle's (Ahmad Qassim) house.<ref>Time [http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1211562,00.html]</ref><ref>The Guardian [http://www.guardian.co.uk/Iraq/Story/0,,1926954,00.html]</ref> |
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According to the plea agreement, Sgt. Cortez admitted conspiring with three other soldiers, Pfc. [[Steven Dale Green]], Pfc. [[Jesse Spielman]], and Spc. Barker to rape Abeer Qassim Hamza. |
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<ref> |
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{{cite web |
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|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/6384781.stm |
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|title=US soldier admits murdering girl |
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|publisher=[[BBC News]] |
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|date=2007-02-22 |
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|accessdate=2007-02-22 |
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}}</ref> |
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== The Mahmudiyah Killings == |
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In court, Cortez admitted the plan was hatched as they played cards and that the girl had been targeted because there was only one male in her house, making it an easy target. |
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On [[March 12]], [[2006]] the soldiers (from the [[502nd Infantry Regiment (United States)|502nd Infantry Regiment]]) at the checkpoint had been drinking alcohol and discussing plans to rape Abeer.<ref>CBS News [http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/08/07/iraq/main1872164_page2.shtml]</ref> In broad daylight they walked to the house (not wearing their uniforms)<ref>Time [http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1211562,00.html]</ref> and separated Abeer from her family into 2 different rooms. Steven Green then murdered her parents and younger sister, while 2 other soldiers raped her. He then emerged from the room saying "I just killed them, all are dead".<ref>FindLaw [http://news.findlaw.com/cnn/docs/iraq/usgreen63006cmp5.html]</ref> He then raped Abeer, shot her in the head and preceded to (along with the other soldiers) set fire to the house and bodies. |
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He said: "During the time me and Barker were raping Abeer, I heard five or six gunshots that came from the bedroom. |
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The neighbours were amongst the first to discover the scene, one recounts "The poor girl, she was so beautiful she lay there, one leg was stretched and the other was bended and her dress was lifted to her neck."<ref>The Guardian [http://www.guardian.co.uk/Iraq/Story/0,,1926954,00.html]</ref> |
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"After Barker was done, Green came out of the bedroom and said that he had killed them all, that all of them were dead." |
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== Correct Age == |
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[[Paul Cortez]] added: "Green then placed himself between Abeer's legs to rape her. When Green was finished, he stood up and shot Abeer in the head two or three times." |
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There have been many inaccurate reports over Abeer's correct age, and her relation to the other victims in the house, especially in the early days of the emergence of the story. One speculative age for Abeer was that she was 25 years old and that the bodies of father and sister were mistaken as her husband and daughter respectively.<ref>FindLaw [http://news.findlaw.com/cnn/docs/iraq/usgreen63006cmp4.html]</ref><ref>The Huffington Post [http://www.huffingtonpost.com/nellie-b/uk-paper-confirms-revenge_b_24668.html]</ref> |
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The entire crime took about five minutes and the girl knew her parents and sister had been shot while she was being raped, the hearing heard. |
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All five belonged to the 101st Airborne Division based at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, which is also where the hearing took place. |
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Military investigators believe that Green and as many as four other soldiers were involved in the commission of the murders while on active duty. A criminal affidavit filed in U.S. federal court states that Green and one other participant raped Hamza and that Green killed all four individuals himself. Abeer's uncle, Ahmad, says he has "no faith" in the Court Martial, requesting that the Americans "hand the criminals to us, to an Iraqi Court. We don't trust their justice, they should be tried here in Iraq."<ref name="G1" /> |
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Iraqi insurgents kidnapped two American troops whom they later killed, claiming that the killing was retaliation for Abeer's rape.<ref name="G1" /> |
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Army Sgt. [[Paul Cortez]] was sentenced Thursday, February 22, 2007 to 100 years in prison for his participation in the rape and murder. Cortez, 24, also was given a dishonorable discharge. Cortez wept as he apologized for the crimes, saying he could not explain why he took part. |
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<ref> |
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{{cite web |
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|url=http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/02/22/ussoldier.rape.ap/index.html |
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|title= U.S. soldier gets 100 years for Iraq rape, killings |
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|publisher=[[CNN]] |
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|date=2007-02-22 |
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|accessdate=2007-02-22 |
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}}</ref> |
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==References== |
==References== |
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==See also== |
==See also== |
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*[[Fakhriya Taha Muhasen]] |
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*[[Mahmoudiyah]] |
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==External links== |
==External links== |
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*[http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2006/07/10/1152383677437.html?from=top5 Iraq girl in troops rape case just 14] |
*[http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2006/07/10/1152383677437.html?from=top5 Iraq girl in troops rape case just 14] |
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*[http://today.reuters.com/news/articlenews.aspx?type=TopNews&storyID=2006-08-07T104040Z_01_L03398682_RTRUKOC_0_US-IRAQ-MAHMUDIYA.xml&WTmodLoc=Home-C2-TopNews-TopNews-5 Reuters: Military court told soldiers took turns to rape] |
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*[http://www.theage.com.au/news/world/rape-american-soldiers-took-turns/2006/08/08/1154802889413.html The Age: Rape: American soldiers 'took turns'] |
*[http://www.theage.com.au/news/world/rape-american-soldiers-took-turns/2006/08/08/1154802889413.html The Age: Rape: American soldiers 'took turns'] |
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*[http://www.expose-the-war-profiteers.org/DOD/iraq_II/mahmudiya.htm The Massacre of Mahmudiya - The Rape and Murder of Abeer Qasim Hamsa] |
*[http://www.expose-the-war-profiteers.org/DOD/iraq_II/mahmudiya.htm The Massacre of Mahmudiya - The Rape and Murder of Abeer Qasim Hamsa] (contains a photo of Steven Dale holding an AK47, the weapon he allegedly performed the murders with) |
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*[http://abeer-hamza.memory-of.com abeer-hamza.memory-of.com] |
*[http://abeer-hamza.memory-of.com abeer-hamza.memory-of.com] |
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Revision as of 19:28, 19 November 2007
Abeer Qassim Hamza al-Janabi (عبير قاسم حمزه الجنابي) (August 19, 1991 - March 12, 2006) was a 14-year-old Iraqi female who was gang raped and murdered along with her family by U.S. troops.
Background
Abeer Hamza lived with her mother and father (Fakhriya Taha Muhasen, 34, and Qassim Hamza Raheem, 45, respectively) and their 3 other children, 7 year old daughter Hadeel Qassim Hamza, 13 year son Mohammed and his younger brother. Their house was situated approximately 200 metres away from a 6 manned U.S. traffic checkpoint,[2] southwest of the village of Yusufiyah, which lies west of the larger township of Al-Mahmudiyah (in the coalition termed area "Triangle of Death").[3]
According to her neighbours, Abeer spent most of her days at home as her parents would not allow her to go to school following security concerns. The American soldiers would often watch Abeer from their checkpoint, doing her chores and tending the garden. The neighbours had warned Abeer's father of this but he replied it was not a problem as she was just a small girl.[4]
Abeer's brother Mohammed (who survived along with his younger brother, due to being at school at the time of the killings) recalls the soldiers often searched the house. And on one such occasion PFC Steven Dale Green ran his index finger down Abeer's cheek, which had terrified the 14 year old girl.[5]
Abeer's mother told her relatives before the murders, that whenever she caught the soldiers staring at Abeer, they would give her the thumbs-up sign, point to her daughter and say "Very good, very good." Evidently this had concerned her and she made plans for Abeer to spend night times sleeping at her uncle's (Ahmad Qassim) house.[6][7]
The Mahmudiyah Killings
See: Mahmudiyah killings
On March 12, 2006 the soldiers (from the 502nd Infantry Regiment) at the checkpoint had been drinking alcohol and discussing plans to rape Abeer.[8] In broad daylight they walked to the house (not wearing their uniforms)[9] and separated Abeer from her family into 2 different rooms. Steven Green then murdered her parents and younger sister, while 2 other soldiers raped her. He then emerged from the room saying "I just killed them, all are dead".[10] He then raped Abeer, shot her in the head and preceded to (along with the other soldiers) set fire to the house and bodies.
The neighbours were amongst the first to discover the scene, one recounts "The poor girl, she was so beautiful she lay there, one leg was stretched and the other was bended and her dress was lifted to her neck."[11]
Correct Age
There have been many inaccurate reports over Abeer's correct age, and her relation to the other victims in the house, especially in the early days of the emergence of the story. One speculative age for Abeer was that she was 25 years old and that the bodies of father and sister were mistaken as her husband and daughter respectively.[12][13]
References
See also
- Steven Dale Green, a perpetrator in the killings
- James Barker, a perpetrator in the killings
- Redacted (film), a film based on the killings
External links
- Iraq girl in troops rape case just 14
- The Age: Rape: American soldiers 'took turns'
- The Massacre of Mahmudiya - The Rape and Murder of Abeer Qasim Hamsa (contains a photo of Steven Dale holding an AK47, the weapon he allegedly performed the murders with)
- abeer-hamza.memory-of.com