Afghan witnesses say more than one person involved in attack
Mar 30, 2012, 5:49 AM | Updated: 7:47 am
Witnesses to the mass murder in Afghanistan, allegedly at the hands of a Lewis-McChord soldier, say the gunman did not act alone.
An Afghan-born Australian reporter has been able to interview several people who were in the homes three weeks ago when 17 civilians were shot and killed.
She is the first western reporter to speak with survivors, and she tells MSNBC that those witnesses all say that more than one person was involved in the attack. They say 15-to-20 soldiers were in and around the village that night.
An 8-year-old girl, who was shot in the leg, says she saw the others standing in her yard.
The US refutes the claims saying only one person was involved, but villagers report seeing multiple boot prints and tracks that suggest otherwise.
JBLM Army Staff Sgt. Robert Bales was charged with 17 counts of premeditated murder and other crimes in the attack.
A defense team is now in Afghanistan to collect evidence and interview other U.S. soldiers who knew Bales.
Bales’ attorney John Henry Browne, of Seattle, said his client has a sketchy memory of the night of the shootings.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
