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| Marine Missing Again |
| 2005-01-06 |
| The Marine charged with desertion after he claimed to have been kidnapped last year in Iraq was again declared a deserter Wednesday after he failed to return from a holiday leave. Cpl. Wassef Ali Hassoun was required to return to Camp Lejeune by noon Tuesday, but did not report for duty in a motor pool, said Maj. Matt Morgan, a spokesman for the 4th Marine Expeditionary Brigade. Hassoun was still missing at 3 p.m. Wednesday, Morgan said. Hassoun's command "officially declared him a deserter and issued authorization for civil authorities to apprehend Hassoun and return him to military control," Morgan said. Mazen Hassoun, the corporal's brother, said from his West Jordan, Utah, home that he was surprised by the latest accusation. He said he had not heard from his brother but was awaiting a call from him. Cpl. Hassoun was listed as missing in Iraq after he failed to report for duty June 20. A week later, the Arabic news network Al-Jazeera broadcast a photo of Hassoun looking as if he were a hostage, blindfolded and with a sword behind his head. Hassoun contacted American officials in Beirut, Lebanon, on July 8, and was taken to the American Embassy there. He has made one statement since returning to the United States, saying he was captured and held against his will by anti-coalition forces. He has declined interview requests. Hassoun was charged last month with desertion, theft, loss of government property and wrongful appropriation of a government vehicle. The desertion count carries a five-year maximum prison sentence and the other counts carry 10-year maximums. The corporal's hearing on the Iraq desertion charge has been delayed until Jan. 13 to allow Hassoun to hire a civilian lawyer to assist his military attorneys. |
| Posted by:tipper |
| #11 It was only a matter of time before this idiot went over the hill again. I would have loved to have been on that first investigation of how/why he got kidnapped in Iraq and ended up in Lebanon no worse for the wear. If he does get caught, shoot him. |
| Posted by: Jarhead 2005-01-06 5:30:01 PM |
| #10 Hey, kid? Wanna be in a movie? |
| Posted by: O. Stone, Artiste 2005-01-06 4:40:57 PM |
| #9 Sounds like "Where in the World is Waldo?" |
| Posted by: John Q. 2005-01-06 3:30:35 PM |
| #8 Don't fear. We take care of our own rogues. We do have them every 30 or 40 years or so. Hey remember, we are not perfect either! Semper Fe! |
| Posted by: leaddog2 2005-01-06 1:14:14 PM |
| #7 If the Syrians torched some relatives house, then maybe he got the hint to not talk to the US authorities any more. Speaking of loyal citizens, how is that trial of the grenade-into-tent tossing a-hole going? |
| Posted by: Laurence of the Rats 2005-01-06 11:50:42 AM |
| #6 Assign the file to the wetworks. |
| Posted by: Mrs. Davis 2005-01-06 11:33:47 AM |
#5 Marine officials said Wednesday that he was not believed to be a flight risk because he had turned himself in after initially disappearing from Iraq. In addition, the Marines had let him go on leave to Utah two times before he was charged, and he had shown no sign that he would try to flee. With these Middle Eastern types, never make assumptions and never, EVER, let your guard down. |
| Posted by: Bomb-a-rama 2005-01-06 11:23:31 AM |
| #4 good riddance. Don't let the screen door hit ya and thanks for saving me the tax dollars on your prison cell. |
| Posted by: 2b 2005-01-06 9:38:26 AM |
| #3 From CNN: Investigators have found evidence that Hassoun has fled the United States for Lebanon, where he turned up in July after his disappearance from an American base in western Iraq, Pentagon officials told CNN. Hassoun's family told military officials that he had left Utah, where he was on leave, four days before he was to return to Camp Lejeune. But Hassoun is now believed to have taken money out of the bank and changed his flight destination from North Carolina to Canada, where he booked a flight to Lebanon, where he was born and has relatives, Marine Corps officials said. Marine officials said Wednesday that he was not believed to be a flight risk because he had turned himself in after initially disappearing from Iraq. In addition, the Marines had let him go on leave to Utah two times before he was charged, and he had shown no sign that he would try to flee. Military investigators charged him with desertion and theft of government property -- a military vehicle and his service weapons -- after U.S. troops found his civilian passport, military ID card and uniform during the siege of Falluja in November. |
| Posted by: Steve 2005-01-06 9:29:36 AM |
| #2 Fox News reporting Hassoun's ATM card was used in Canada and several hours later (flight time) in Lebanon. Apparently, his American passport was left in Iraq when he went missing, the government has that. But he also has a valid Lebanese passport. Guess he used that. They also report that his wife left for Lebanon yesterday, her visa ran out. His family in Lebanon is supposted to be wealthy and providing him with protection. Fox also reported that the Syrians want to talk to Hassoun, something about how he got to Lebanon from Iraq without the Syrian goverment knowing about it. Yeah, right. More likely they want to shut him up. Reportedly, the Syrians firebombed one of his families houses. Developing. |
| Posted by: Steve 2005-01-06 8:46:13 AM |
| #1 Well, yesterday Steve posted that NBC had "tracked" Hassoun to Canada and then to Lebanon. Sooo... Looks like he won't be needing his military attorney anymore, much less a civilian one. Gee, ya think the delay "to hire a civilian lawyer" was a ruse? Who'da thunk it? |
| Posted by: .com 2005-01-06 5:34:22 AM |