James Barker Wiki – James Barker Biography
In November 2006, a US soldier pleaded guilty to the rape and murder of a 14-year-old Iraqi girl and the murder of three members of her family in one of the most brutal attacks on record in the war-torn nation. . In addition to pleading guilty to the charges, Specialist James Barker has also agreed to testify against three other accused soldiers. The guilty plea was reportedly part of a deal to avoid the death penalty.
The grisly murders took place on March 12, 2006 in Mahmoudiya, a town 20 miles south of Baghdad. Five soldiers stationed at a checkpoint allegedly raped the girl, Abeer Qassim al-Janabi, before burning her body to hide evidence. The group later killed her father, mother, and six-year-old sister.
James Barker Age
James Barker is 27 years old.
Incident Detail
According to The Guardian, Private Steven Green, the alleged ringleader, was discharged from the army in May with a “personality disorder” before the heinous crimes came to light. He was later tried as a civilian in Kentucky federal court and pleaded not guilty to charges including murder and sexual assault. The other defendants, however, continued to serve in the 101st Airborne Division and were tried by court martial.
Barker told investigators the group was drinking whiskey and playing cards while planning the attack on the family. He alleged that he, Pte Green and another soldier, Sergeant Paul Cortez, took turns raping the girl, and Pte Green subsequently shot her and her family.
The family massacre was recorded as one of the most incendiary war crimes that tarnished the reputation of the American and British forces. A local insurgent group, the ‘Islamic Army’, claimed to have built a rocket with a range of 12 miles and named it Abeer after the victim. Ahmad Qassim, the girl’s uncle, said he had little faith in the US justice system. ”
The criminals should be handed over to us…they should be tried in Iraq and executed here,” he told The Guardian. “A murder can be solved in a local council with money, but a rape can only be solved by killing the perpetrator,” added local leader Adnan Janabi.
Local authorities believed the insurgents killed the family before a member of the unit involved came forward. Pte Green’s involvement raised questions about the army’s recruiting procedures, considering that he entered the force shortly after being arrested for underage drinking and had a history of alcohol and drug abuse.
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