A probe into whether U.S. Marines lied about the killing of up to 24 Iraqis in the city of Haditha last year is complete and a top commander is reviewing its findings, the U.S. military said on Friday.
Lieutenant General Peter Chiarelli, head of U.S. ground forces in Iraq, received the findings of the investigation and would either approve them, add his own conclusions or request more information from the investigating officer.
A separate Naval Criminal Investigative Service probe into the role of Marines in the killings of civilians in Haditha last November could lead to charges including murder.
Major General Eldon Bargewell led the fact-finding team looking at not only whether Marines involved in the November 19 incident lied about what happened, but whether senior Marine Corps officers sufficiently examined the veracity of the troops' account.
"While the Naval Criminal Investigative Service was requested to and is examining potential criminal offences arising from the incident, Major General Bargewell was tasked to examine official reporting and communication flow surrounding the operations, type of training the forces received prior to and after their arrival in theater, and command climate within the unit," said the U.S. military statement.
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