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| Afghan massacre witnesses recount killing spree | Afghan massacre witnesses recount killing spree |
| (4 months later) | |
| The recollections of chaos and terror were undiminished by thousands of miles separating a US court from Afghan witnesses, who used a video link to detail a night-time killing spree through their villages this year. | The recollections of chaos and terror were undiminished by thousands of miles separating a US court from Afghan witnesses, who used a video link to detail a night-time killing spree through their villages this year. |
| A young girl recounted how she hid behind her father as he was shot, then watched him die in agony, one of 16 civilians slaughtered in a five-hour massacre that also injured six villagers. Nine of the dead were children. | A young girl recounted how she hid behind her father as he was shot, then watched him die in agony, one of 16 civilians slaughtered in a five-hour massacre that also injured six villagers. Nine of the dead were children. |
| One boy saw his grandmother wrestle with a gunman after he pushed a pistol in her granddaughter's mouth; other children described cowering in a room as the attacker stalked through their home. "We are children, we are children," the group shouted, according to Quadratullah, whose father, Haji Mohammad Naem, was shot through the throat but survived. | One boy saw his grandmother wrestle with a gunman after he pushed a pistol in her granddaughter's mouth; other children described cowering in a room as the attacker stalked through their home. "We are children, we are children," the group shouted, according to Quadratullah, whose father, Haji Mohammad Naem, was shot through the throat but survived. |
| US Army Staff Sergeant Robert Bales is accused of the shootings, the worst attack on civilians by a single US soldier in the decade-long conflict in Afghanistan. The witnesses were speaking at a preliminary hearing over the past week to decide if he should face a full court-martial, which his lawyers say is inevitable. He could face the death penalty if found guilty. | US Army Staff Sergeant Robert Bales is accused of the shootings, the worst attack on civilians by a single US soldier in the decade-long conflict in Afghanistan. The witnesses were speaking at a preliminary hearing over the past week to decide if he should face a full court-martial, which his lawyers say is inevitable. He could face the death penalty if found guilty. |
| The hearing began with evidence from military investigators and soldiers stationed with Bales on a small base in southern Kandahar province, birthplace of the Taliban. But the court held special sessions late into Friday night and over the weekend to allow survivors of the attack and relatives of the dead to tell their grim stories. | The hearing began with evidence from military investigators and soldiers stationed with Bales on a small base in southern Kandahar province, birthplace of the Taliban. But the court held special sessions late into Friday night and over the weekend to allow survivors of the attack and relatives of the dead to tell their grim stories. |
| Naem, who narrowly escaped with his life, had been awoken by gunshots and barking dogs and went out to investigate. The gunman's head lamp dazzled a family used to living without electricity and no one from the house said they would be able to identify the shooter. | Naem, who narrowly escaped with his life, had been awoken by gunshots and barking dogs and went out to investigate. The gunman's head lamp dazzled a family used to living without electricity and no one from the house said they would be able to identify the shooter. |
| "He jumped from the wall, and I just saw the light on his head," Naem said. "He just started shooting me." A bullet fractured the skull of his younger son, Sadiquallah, who said he had been woken by a neighbour screaming that an American had killed their men, and tried to hide in a storage room protected only by a curtain. | "He jumped from the wall, and I just saw the light on his head," Naem said. "He just started shooting me." A bullet fractured the skull of his younger son, Sadiquallah, who said he had been woken by a neighbour screaming that an American had killed their men, and tried to hide in a storage room protected only by a curtain. |
| Witnesses also listed the names of the dead, who were buried shortly after the killing in accordance with Islamic tradition. US investigators had earlier told the court they could not leave the military base to collect forensic evidence for several weeks, because villagers were so angry. | Witnesses also listed the names of the dead, who were buried shortly after the killing in accordance with Islamic tradition. US investigators had earlier told the court they could not leave the military base to collect forensic evidence for several weeks, because villagers were so angry. |
| Bales, a decorated father of two, watched some of the testimony on a laptop screen, and once moved closer to a large monitor, but showed no reaction to the gruesome accounts of the March evening. | Bales, a decorated father of two, watched some of the testimony on a laptop screen, and once moved closer to a large monitor, but showed no reaction to the gruesome accounts of the March evening. |
| He has not entered a plea and is not expected to testify, although his lawyers say he is suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder and the after-effects of a serious head injury on a deployment to Iraq. | He has not entered a plea and is not expected to testify, although his lawyers say he is suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder and the after-effects of a serious head injury on a deployment to Iraq. |
| Mohammad Wazir lost 11 members of his family, and probably survived only because he was away from home with one young son the night of the attack. His cousin, Khamal Adin, recounted going to his home and finding his aunt dead in the doorway, with a gunshot wound to her head. Inside lay the partially burned bodies of six children, Wazir's wife and other victims. "I have seen each individual and took them out by myself," he told the court. "Everybody was shot on the head. ... I didn't pay attention to the rest of the wounds." | Mohammad Wazir lost 11 members of his family, and probably survived only because he was away from home with one young son the night of the attack. His cousin, Khamal Adin, recounted going to his home and finding his aunt dead in the doorway, with a gunshot wound to her head. Inside lay the partially burned bodies of six children, Wazir's wife and other victims. "I have seen each individual and took them out by myself," he told the court. "Everybody was shot on the head. ... I didn't pay attention to the rest of the wounds." |
| The US military has been helping the witnesses arrange passports and visas to travel to the US to testify if there is a full trial, said Haji Baran, brother of one victim, who has given evidence by video link and said he felt able to speak freely. "I am happy with the system," he told the Guardian by phone after the hearing. | The US military has been helping the witnesses arrange passports and visas to travel to the US to testify if there is a full trial, said Haji Baran, brother of one victim, who has given evidence by video link and said he felt able to speak freely. "I am happy with the system," he told the Guardian by phone after the hearing. |
| Seven people from four families are preparing to travel to the trial if needed, although they have no question about Bales's guilt. "We want justice, and we want him to be hanged, to be a lesson to other US soldiers to not do this again. This was a very big crime ... my brother was innocent," Haji Baran said. | Seven people from four families are preparing to travel to the trial if needed, although they have no question about Bales's guilt. "We want justice, and we want him to be hanged, to be a lesson to other US soldiers to not do this again. This was a very big crime ... my brother was innocent," Haji Baran said. |
| Additional reporting by Moktar Amiri. | Additional reporting by Moktar Amiri. |
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