Breaking: Cpl. Wassef Ali Hassoun Charged With Desertion

[yoda]

on Fox News website... more info when available...

[sunny]

Good call.

[stormraiser]

Cpl. Hassoun Charged With Desertion
Marine Reported Abducted in Iraq, Later Turned Up in Native Jordan

The Associated Press
Thursday, December 9, 2004; 5:45 PM

CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. -- A Marine who was reported abducted in Iraq and later turned up in his native Lebanon was charged Thursday with desertion.

Cpl. Wassef Ali Hassoun was charged following a five-month investigation into his June disappearance from a U.S. military camp near Fallujah, Iraq, according a statement from the 4th Marine Expeditionary Brigade.

Hassoun, of West Jordan, Utah, is accused of taking unauthorized leave from the unit where he served as an Arabic interpreter.

Hassoun also is charged with loss of government property and theft of a military firearm for allegedly leaving the Marine camp while still in possession of his 9 mm service pistol, as well as theft and wrongful appropriation of a government vehicle.

No date has been set for an Article 32 hearing, one of the first steps toward a possible court-martial in the military justice system, said Maj. Matt Morgan, the brigade spokesman.

[streetsoldier]

On FoxNews, it was reported that Hassoun's military ID and US passport wer found in an abandoned terrorist hideout in Fallujah...perhaps for purposes of counterfeiting(?).

Hassoun has a LOT of explaining to do.

[mf_dolphin]

I really hope he gets what he deserves. Desertion during a time of war.