"Accused Taliban fighter says U.S. helicopters killed insurgents 'like insects'"

2015-08-06T10:20:29-04:00

From: Yahoo News

RICHMOND, Va. (Reuters) - U.S. helicopters gunned down Taliban fighters "like insects" during a failed 2009 attack in Afghanistan, an accused Taliban fighter said in a videotaped interview with the FBI shown during his trial on Wednesday.

Irek Hamidullin, a former Soviet tank officer who converted to Islam, is charged with coordinating the November 2009 attack on an Afghan Border Police base. He is the first Afghan War military combatant to be tried in U.S. federal court.

Hamidullin called off the assault after insurgents' weapons malfunctioned, and his roughly 30 men fell back, he told the FBI in a videotaped 2010 interview. Shortly afterward, U.S. reconnaissance and Apache attack helicopters swooped in.

"Helicopters shoot us like insects," Hamidullin said in the interview played for jurors in U.S. District Court. He was the sole Taliban survivor of the attack. No American or Afghan troops were killed.

Hamidullin, who was born in 1959, was charged last year with 15 criminal counts ranging from supporting terrorists to firearms offenses stemming from the assault in eastern Afghanistan's Khost province.

Hamidullin has repeatedly insisted during 15 separate interviews with the FBI that he never fired his own AK-47 during the attack on Camp Leyza in Afghanistan's Khost Province.

Earlier this week two U.S. soldiers, including one who shot Hamidullin, testified that they had seen muzzle flashes from his rifle before they fired.

"I got injured before I was able to shoot," Hamidullin told interviewers in English, one of several languages in which he is proficient.

Hamidullin was held by the Pentagon in an Afghan prison for five years before being brought to the United States for trial. If convicted, he could face life in prison.

Ronald Comers, an FBI special agent who helped interview Hamidullin, testified that the defendant, a Soviet tank commander in the early 1980s, found Islam in 1996 and became involved in what Hamidullin described as jihad, an Islamic holy war.

Comers was the 18th witness called by the prosecution in the trial, which began on Thursday. The case is expected to go to jurors on Friday.

http://news.yahoo.com/accused-taliban-says-u-helicopters-killed-insurgents-insects-190007774.html?nf=1

Response by SCPO David Lockwood made Aug 6 at 2015 10:21 AM

2015-08-06T10:21:47-04:00

This is a good thing.....Yes?

Response by SGT Ben Keen made Aug 6 at 2015 10:31 AM

2015-08-06T10:31:31-04:00

And there is something wrong with that? I don't think so. Heck they flew planes into buildings killing thousands of Americans "like insects".

Response by Maj Chris Nelson made Aug 6 at 2015 10:36 AM

2015-08-06T10:36:20-04:00

The only parts that I am disappointed in would be 1. He survived. 2. he was brought to the USA for trial. 3. if found guilty (which is most likely), he could spend life in prison.... WHOS prison? Ours??!!

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 6 at 2015 10:37 AM

2015-08-06T10:37:20-04:00

So he led his band of muldoons into a failed attack
An attack that failed due to lack of weapons maintenance (of AK 47s! What did they do to make those quit?)
Then lost his command due to a poorly planned exfiltration plan
His men did not know how to counter or evade a known and likely counter-attack
Somehow, only he survived

I say send him back! The Taliban needs more commanders like him!

Response by SGM Steve Wettstein made Aug 6 at 2015 10:39 AM

2015-08-06T10:39:28-04:00

It's good to know our weapons platforms are work like they should.

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 6 at 2015 12:37 PM

2015-08-06T12:37:14-04:00

This makes me happy.

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Response by SPC George Adkins made Aug 6 at 2015 12:57 PM

2015-08-06T12:57:34-04:00

I'm still trying to figure our why an enemy combatant is being put on trial?

Response by Cpl Joe Alvarez made Aug 6 at 2015 1:05 PM

2015-08-06T13:05:33-04:00

Never bring an AK to an anti-personnel missile/20mm cannon fight

Response by SSgt Alex Robinson made Aug 6 at 2015 10:00 PM

2015-08-06T22:00:36-04:00

Too bad. They were terrorists.

Response by SFC Mark Merino made Aug 7 at 2015 1:27 PM

2015-08-07T13:27:56-04:00

No thanks necessary. It's what aviators do.

Response by PO3 Gordon Permann made Aug 7 at 2015 4:45 PM

2015-08-07T16:45:20-04:00

Response by CSM Richard StCyr made Mar 24 at 2017 9:49 AM

2017-03-24T09:49:42-04:00

AAAAAAAnd, what's the point, you attacked US. Soldiers. That's why we have air support to non surgically remove vast portions of flesh and body parts from the enemy and reduce casualties to the Soldiers. Unfortunately it sounds like the choppers missed this dufus.

Response by SGM Bill Frazer made Mar 1 at 2018 11:03 AM

2018-03-01T11:03:48-05:00

Just breaks my lil heart

Response by Capt Tom Brown made Mar 1 at 2018 11:44 AM

2018-03-01T11:44:00-05:00

Wondering how this all came out and if he was given any prison time, etc? Maybe he was exchanged for Bowie Berghdal.

Response by Capt Tom Brown made Mar 1 at 2018 11:52 AM

2018-03-01T11:52:32-05:00

What's as astonishing now as it was back then, that a perp like this was afforded every legal right and defense that a good old-fashioned American citizen has. The perp was captured on the battlefield waging war against US, yet he is treated like a white collar suspect given tax paid lawyers and all. Like someone said, if these people do defeat US it will be by using our own freedoms against US. sad commentary for US

Response by MSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 1 at 2018 12:41 PM

2018-03-01T12:41:41-05:00

He’s former soviet tank officer. Let’s find him guilty then send him back to mother russia to go on trial there.

Response by SMSgt Lawrence McCarter made Jun 29 at 2019 2:07 PM

2019-06-29T14:07:10-04:00

That's the whole idea kill them like the insects they are ! If they don't like that maybe they should stop murdering innocent people ! Its a shame He even survived to stand trial !

Response by MCPO Roger Collins made Jun 29 at 2019 2:26 PM

2019-06-29T14:26:02-04:00

Seems like someone didn’t recall when the Soviets shot the crap out of them with the Hind.

“Those who do not learn from mistakes in History are doomed to repeat them” (paraphrased)

Response by CWO3 Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 29 at 2019 4:11 PM

2019-06-29T16:11:06-04:00

That's both motivating and encouraging. Wage war with a purpose or not at all.

Response by Cpl Mark A. Morris made Sep 4 at 2021 9:18 AM

2021-09-04T09:18:19-04:00

"Afghan War military combatant to be tried in U.S. federal court."
I am confident this enemy combatant will not gain full protection under the Constitution and Bill of Rights as an American citizen in U. S. federal court. Right? Isn't there a military court on our Cuban base for this fellow?