Courtesy Photo | Chief Judge Khaz'al Da'bol Qasim (center) deliberates with his colleagues over a...... read more read more
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CONTINGENCY OPERATING BASE BASRA, Iraq – Abbas Shevian Ntaiech, suspected of a Jan. 5, Molotov cocktail attack during which one U.S. Soldier was injured, was found guilty during a trail held at the Palace of Justice in Basrah province, Iraq, June 6.
Ntaiech is slated to be sentenced, June 20, for his involvement in the attack on Spc. Cameron Hebert, a gunner from Berry, Ala., and the Soldiers of Team 1, Brigade Maneuver Element, Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 17th Fires Brigade. The attack occurred in Timinyah located in Basrah.
"I'm innocent because I didn't do it," said Ntaiech.
During the trail, Ntaiech said he was unaware of who committed the crime, but that he would have turned that person over to authorities.
His statement was contradictory to the original report given to the investigating prosecutor, which stated that Ntaiech said he had indeed seen the person who had thrown the cocktail.
A Molotov cocktail, also known as a gasoline or petrol bomb, is composed of a glass bottle containing fuel usually with a source of ignition such as a burning cloth wick held in place by the bottle lid. Thickening agents such as tar, strips of tire tubing, sugar or other agents are added to the fuel to give it an adhesive affect ensuring extensive damage.
As the patrol began rolling out of the Timinyah neighborhood, Sgt. 1st Class John Zanella, a native of Beaver Island, Mich., and BME, HHB, 17th FiB non-commissioned officer-in-charge known throughout the brigade as simply Sergeant Z was first to notice the attacker approaching from the rear left-hand side of the patrol.
"I saw a man who looked to be in his mid-twenties running towards us with a Molotov cocktail in his hand," Zanella said.
Upon impact, the contents of the cocktail spread and immediately ignited, putting the life of Hebert in imminent danger.
"I just remember it getting very hot. I glanced around and then saw the flames climbing up the side of my right arm," Hebert said.
In shock, Hebert calmly said, "I'm on fire." Realizing the seriousness of his state he franticly repeated, "I'm on fire, I'm on fire!"
"I dropped down into the vehicle and I could feel the heat from flames climbing up my arm towards my neck," Hebert said. "That's when I saw Sgt. Dye with the fire extinguisher. He put out the flames and our medic, Spc. Frazier, immediately began treating my wounds," he added.
Moments later, Sergeant Z radioed back to the convoy that he and a few members of the team, with their Iraqi Army partners, had cornered the suspect in what he believed to be a mosque.
Members of the IA subsequently entered the mosque as U.S. Forces cannot enter Iraqi mosques and brought out several individuals matching the description of the attacker for Sergeant Z to positively identify.
Through the help of an interpreter, Sergeant Z identified Ntaiech as the attacker, but the IA was hesitant to detain the individual, as they did not witness the attack.
Sergeant Z then gave instructions to Sgt. Dustin Anderson, truck commander, to placed Ntaiech in wrist restraints and hand him over to the custody of the IA.
A couple of weeks later outside the HHB Lightening Battery HQ, an award ceremony was held in Hebert's honor. He proudly stood in front of a small formation where Col. Steven L. Bullimore, 17th Fires Brigade commander, presented him the Purple Heart medal by for wounds received in action.
"I'm honored to receive this medal, but no one aspires to get a Purple Heart," Hebert said. "I have to thank Sergeant Z for what he did that day. That guy would have had a clear shot at me and things could have been much worse had Sergeant Z not re-acted so quickly," he added.
| Date Taken: | 06.06.2010 |
| Date Posted: | 06.07.2010 04:21 |
| Story ID: | 50972 |
| Location: | CONTINGENCY OPERATING BASE BASRAH, IQ |
| Web Views: | 316 |
| Downloads: | 240 |
This work, Trial finds man guilty of Molotov cocktail attack, by SPC Maurice Galloway, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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