US soldier jailed for Iraq deaths

BBC

A US soldier has been jailed for 18 years for his part in the murder of three Iraqi detainees in May of 2006.
Pfc Corey Clagett, 22, who is the third soldier to plead guilty in connection with the case, made the plea in a deal with military prosecutors.

The soldiers originally claimed they had killed three men trying to escape.

A fourth soldier from the 101st Airborne Division, squad leader Staff Sgt Raymond Girouard, is due to face court-martial in the coming months.

Under the deal, Clagett admitted charges of murder, attempted murder, conspiracy to commit murder and conspiracy to obstruct justice.

He admitted to killing one of the victims and participating in the murder of the other two.

Earlier this month another member of the group, Spc William Hunsaker, was jailed for 18 years after pleading guilty to murder.

Another soldier has admitted aggravated assault with a dangerous weapon and was jailed for nine months.

During his trial, Hunsaker testified that Sgt Girouard gave an order to kill the victims and make it look as if they had been fleeing.

"He told us to cut the zip ties [restraining the men], tell them to run and shoot them. I went out and did just that," he told the court.