Two high-ranking Iraqi members of the Ministry of the Interiors forces, Maj. Gen. Abbas al-Jubouri and Col. Omar Issa Khadim, told NCIS that the detainee was barely alive when they brought him to the SEALs compound and passed away from gunshot wounds, not a stabbing. Former SEAL Eddie Gallagher attacks his accusers in Thats something the other medically-trained SO1 also told investigators; He returned to the area and was surprised to find the prisoner dead. Or check out the latest stories on our homepage. When seemingly endless processions of women, children and elderly people were fleeing ISIS, we offered up what little MREs and water we had, and gave medical care when possible. After President Trump brought the issue up at a meeting with Chief of Naval Operations John M. Richardson, Admiral Richardson took up the request personally. Platoon members said they saw Chief Gallagher shoot civilians and fatally stab a wounded captive with a hunting knife. Gallagher's accusers painted him as a bloodthirsty warrior who was out of control in Iraq in 2017. But thats not what they were being asked to do in Iraq and they were blaming their frustrations on Eddie., Special Operations Chief Edward "Eddie" Gallagher, a highly decorated Navy SEAL, is fighting murder charges tied to the death of an Islamic State operative in Iraq. This account was also contrary to the statements of at least seven other SEALs[33] as well as Scott's previous statements. Two other SEALs who also deployed with Gallagher but did not testify in his trial told the San Diego Union-Tribune on Monday speaking out against the retired Chiefs identifying currently serving SEAL Team members. But piecing together all the interviews in mid-2018 and a round of re-interviews in October of the SEALs reveals multiple, sometimes competing, reasons for bringing Gallaghers alleged actions to the attention of his superiors and, later, law enforcement. Subscribe to Heres the Deal, our politics Two other SEAL petty officers told investigators Gallagher bragged about slaying 10-20 people a day or 150-200 people on deployment, court documents state. The train has left the station and now they cant get off the rails. The SO1 told Warpinski that five or six hours later he watched people emerging from nearby buildings and, maybe, fellow snipers engaging a few Islamic State fighters near there. Eddie Gallagher and the changing story Gallagher Gallagher was convicted on charges related to posing with the corpse and reduced in rating. action against Gallagher after A pirate is someone who is a little bit sloppier, messier, but is still a very effective fighter, Dylan Dille, another SEAL sniper and one of Gallaghers accusers, says in the first episode. Eddie Gallagher and the changing story Gallagher repeatedly sent us to positions where SEALs and our Iraqi partner forces were wounded or killed by small arms and rockets. Special Warfare Operator Chief Edward Eddie Gallagher in Iraq in 2017. Our senior leaders created the ethos to address moral failures that were happening at home and overseas during the height of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Yet few people heard about the lives saved, people liberated, or hope restored in Mosul. Eddie outing these people and the units they are in might be unprecedented in the SEAL community. The guy is freaking evil, Miller told the investigators. As usual, Fox News figures prominently. The only thing he was convicted of was posing in a photo with the dead captive's body. Eddie Gallagher Other Alpha Platoon members told investigators that Gallagher bragged about killing girls, but prosecutors conceded it wasnt clear whether those statements if they were made at all reference either or both of these incidents.. Gallagher was accused of several war crimes by some of his platoon subordinates, including that he shot civilians and stabbed a wounded ISIS fighter in the neck, killing him, while in Iraq in 2017. And on Fox News this morning, flanked by his wife and lawyer, he reiterated his view that it was a group of disgruntled fellow SEALs who wanted to frame him. Green noted that SEALs with criminal convictions almost always lose their Trident Pin. ", "Navy SEAL Demoted For Taking Photo With Corpse Of ISIS Fighter", "After Contentious Trial, Navy SEAL Edward Gallagher Found Not Guilty of the Murder of an ISIS Fighter", "Trump restores rank to Fort Wayne native, Navy SEAL Gallagher", "Decorated Navy SEAL Is Accused of War Crimes in Iraq", "A Jekyll and Hyde portrait emerges of the SEAL accused of murdering an Islamic State prisoner", "Texas Rep. Dan Crenshaw fighting for fellow Navy SEAL being held on war crimes charges", "Navy SEALs Were Warned Against Reporting Their Chief for War Crimes", "Uncovering a Military Culture Split Between Loyalty and Justice", "Second Navy SEAL charged in war crimes probe", "Iraqi Family Identifies Their Son As ISIS Teen At Center Of Navy War Crimes Trial", "Trump's Intervention in SEALs Case Tests Pentagon's Tolerance", "Judge Denies Navy SEAL Eddie Gallagher's Request to Dismiss War Crimes Charges", "Navy SEAL War Crimes Trial in Turmoil Over Claims Prosecutors Spied on Defense", "Marine testifies Navy SEAL did not stab Iraq captive", "Prosecutors, NCIS investigator accused of 'misconduct' in war crimes case", "In honor of his past service to our Country, Navy Seal #EddieGallagher will soon be moved to less restrictive confinement while he awaits his day in court. As much as some fringe creatures want to argue about our rules of engagement, ROEs were not the problem on this deployment. A retired Navy SEALwhose war crimes trial made international news has launched a video attack on former SEAL teammates who accused him of murder, shooting civilians and who testified against him at his San Diego court-martial in June. [2], On July 2, 2019, Gallagher was convicted of posing for a photograph with the corpse of an ISIS fighter, but was acquitted of all other charges after Special Operator Corey Scott, a member of Gallaghers team granted immunity as a witness against Gallagher, testified that he had killed the prisoner. Initially, it seemed that no one in the SO1s tower thought Gallagher had shot the girl. Theres the fog of war, of course, but several statements display fundamental disagreements about what occurred on the battlefield and was rehashed during meetings with each other and their superiors back in California. [1] The defense cited two high-ranking Iraqi Army members that the detainee was "barely alive"[1] when he arrived; according to prosecution witnesses, the prisoner's leg injury did not appear serious to the initial medic who treated the prisoner, and that the medic was surprised the detainee was dead when he returned. He was the first non-Marine to graduate from the United States Marine Corps Scout Sniper School that he attended. We focused on trying to stop our chief from killing civilians, and getting us killed, while still affecting the battlespace and playing within the bounds of our own military and cultural rules. "The platoon wasnt doing what SEALs like to do. The SO1 told Warpinski that Chief Gallagher knew a considerable amount of Bible scripture but does not practice it, instead using religion as an excuse for his actions.. New York Times reporter Dave Philipps joins Deadline White House panel to discuss the Navy SEALs' testimony against Eddie Gallagher. But President Donald Trump reinstated his rating late last year. A pirate is someone who is a little bit sloppier, messier, but is still a very effective fighter, Dylan Dille, another SEAL sniper and one of Gallaghers accusers, says in the first episode. So, in the end, that was what he was convicted of. At no time is loyalty to each other put over loyalty to the country and mission. It has been speculated that this image was intended to find leakers violating the judge's gag order, as reporters (including Prine) have repeatedly scooped private documents related to the case. Later that night, the LPO gathered the platoons enlisted SEALs together and told them that morally they could not let these actions continue, so if Iraqi security forces brought more prisoners to them they should send them away so Gallagher could not injure anyone else, according to the NCIS report. [10] Only after the reports gained visibility outside the SEAL community, were they acted upon and referred to the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS).[9]. [5], The case was considered to be a "difficult"[15] one because the Navy did not begin a formal investigation for nearly a year after the reports were made and by then much of the physical evidence, such as the bodies of those alleged to be killed by Gallagher, were not recoverable. Gallagher, 40, was acquitted of murder and nearly all related charges in a court martial trial last year. Rep. Duncan Hunter, R-Calif. (third from right) speaks at a rally on Capitol Hill supporting Special Warfare Operator Chief Edward Gallagher, facing war crimes charges for actions in Afghanistan. Published Jan 25, 2022 9:00 AM EST. You have been through much together. [52], Just before reaching his retirement date and towards the end of the Trident Board proceedings, Gallagher appeared on the Fox News morning show Fox & Friends. Several of them said that they saw him stab this alleged captive ISIS prisoner. Learn more about Friends of the NewsHour. It was only later, the SO1 said, that he learned his platoon chief took the shot, but it remains unclear why he came to believe it was Gallagher. After watching the mini-series The Line, do you believe When ISIS launched a counterattack on our partner force, it was our SEAL platoon working in sync firing every single weapon in our arsenal from pistols to 500-pound bombs that stopped the counter-attack during an eight-hour firefight. The most prominent accusation and the best-attested to was the murder of a prisoner of war, a war crime. [46], On November 24, 2019, Defense Secretary Mark Esper said he had learned that Spencer made a private offer to the White House that if the White House did not interfere, he would guarantee that Gallagher would keep his Trident pin. [5] Gallagher allegedly boasted about the large number of people he had killed, claiming he averaged three kills a day over 80 days, including four women. After watching the mini-series The Line, do you believe The sniper whos now a civilian claimed he saw Gallagher shoot an elderly man in his 70s or 80s on Fathers Day, 18 June 2017, a shooting backed up by a first class petty officer now assigned to Naval Special Warfare Development Group often called DEVGRU or SEAL Team 6, according to NCIS records. The AOIC told prosecutors that one proposed raid was so poorly conceived by Gallagher that it lacked a tactical goal the platoon could achieve, except inexplicably shooting people who might or might not be under a bridge. WebAnswer (1 of 13): I will admit out right that I havnt liked Eddie since he was my buddy Daves LPO. One of them said: "I have got a cool story for you when I get back. ISIS had taken over large swaths of Iraq and Syria. They mercilessly murdered, raped, and pillaged minority communities throughout the region. One of the SEALs served as a sniper in Iraq and left the Navy when he returned to California. Support C&L Go Ad-Free Today and blamed his accusers for being the cowards. For a couple of lighter stories, check out Zero Blog 30's new episode that just came out this morning, one of which highlighted some Army Rangers who performed multiple blood transfusions in the middle of a firefight. Eddie Gallagher As usual, Fox News figures prominently. On May 28, Special Warfare Operator Chief Edward Eddie Gallagher will be guided into a courtroom inside Naval Base San Diego, where he will face a panel of his peers sifting evidence in a war crimes case. If Gallaghers defense team is right, hell walk out of Naval Base San Diego a free man. I just want to make clear that this small group of SEALs that decided to concoct this story in no way, shape or form represent the community that I have, you know, loved and gave my soul to.