Third US soldier charged in investigation into murder of Iraqi civilians
{{date|July 5, 2007}}
{{Iraq war}}A third [[United States]] soldier has been charged in an on-going investigation into allegations that several members of the [[w:501st Parachute Infantry Regiment (United States)|501st Parachute Infantry Regiment]] had premeditated the murder of [[Iraq]]i civilians, and then planted [[w:AK-47|AK-47]]s around the corpses to give the false impression that the victims had been [[w:Iraqi insurgency|insurgents]].

Sergeant Evan Vela, of [[w:Phoenix, Idaho|Phoenix, Idaho]], was charged with pre-meditated murder, obstruction of justice and falsely placing weapons around the victim's body to give the impression they had been shot in self-defence. Last week Staff Sgt. Michael A. Hensley was charged on similar counts in the deaths of three civilians, and Spc. Jorge Sandoval was charged in the death of a single civilian. All three belonged to the same unit.

The incidents occurred over the past two months in [[w:Iskandariyah|Iskandariyah]], 50 kilometres south of Baghdad. The investigation began when fellow soldiers in the [[w:501st Parachute Infantry Regiment (United States)|501st Parachute Infantry Regiment]] reported the alleged events to their superiors. 

The ''[[w:Asheville Citizen-Times|Asheville Citizen-Times]]'' is reporting that Vela sent an e-mail to his parents, in which he claims to be innocent and defends his kills in Iraq as "legitimate".

==Related news==
*{{Wikinews|title=Two American soldiers charged in Iraqi murders|date=June 30, 2007}}

==Sources==
*{{source|url=http://www.kltv.com/Global/story.asp?S=6745744&nav=1TjD|title=Soldier charged in Iraqi deaths tells parents he's innocent|author=|pub=Associated Press|date=July 4, 2007}}
*{{source|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Gulf/US_soldier_charged_for_murder/articleshow/2173029.cms|title=US soldier charged for murder|author=|pub=India Times|date=July 4, 2007}}
*{{source|url=http://www.ktuu.com/Global/story.asp?S=6738949&nav=menu510_2|title=Third Fort Richardson soldier charged with murder|author=Angela Blanchard|pub=KTUU|date=July 2, 2007}}

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[[Category:Politics and conflicts]]
[[Category:Crime and law]]
[[Category:Iraq]]
[[Category:Middle East]]
[[Category:United States]]
[[Category:North America]]
[[Category:Iraq War]]

{{Haveyoursay}}
A third United States soldier has been charged in an on-going investigation into allegations that several members of the 501st Parachute Infantry Regiment had premeditated the murder of Iraqi civilians, and then planted AK-47s around the corpses to give the false impression that the victims had been insurgents.

Sergeant Evan Vela, of Phoenix, Idaho, was charged with pre-meditated murder, obstruction of justice and falsely placing weapons around the victim's body to give the impression they had been shot in self-defence. Last week Staff Sgt. Michael A. Hensley was charged on similar counts in the deaths of three civilians, and Spc. Jorge Sandoval was charged in the death of a single civilian. All three belonged to the same unit.

The incidents occurred over the past two months in Iskandariyah, 50 kilometres south of Baghdad. The investigation began when fellow soldiers in the 501st Parachute Infantry Regiment reported the alleged events to their superiors. 

The Asheville Citizen-Times is reporting that Vela sent an e-mail to his parents, in which he claims to be innocent and defends his kills in Iraq as "legitimate".
Politics and conflicts Crime and law Iraq Middle East United States North America Iraq War