Saw officer kill 2 Iraqi terrorists who refused stop order
A Navy man largely backs Marine Corps Lt. Ilario Pantano's version of
the events that led to murder charges for killing two Iraqi
insurgents, according to an attorney.
Charles Gittins, who represents Pantano, told WorldNetDaily the Navy
man was one of two witnesses, along with the accuser, to the April
15, 2004, incident in which the Marine Corps officer shot the two
Iraqis after detaining them in an operation to secure a weapon-laden
hideaway in the Sunni Triangle.
The only difference in the two accounts is that the Navy man believes
the Iraqis were running away, and Pantano believes they were running
toward him, Gittins maintans.
The attorney contends the discrepancy is a matter of visual
perspective � where each was standing � and argues the bottom line is
the Navy officer corroborates Pantano's claim that the Iraqis
disobeyed his order, in Arabic, to stop.
"As far as I'm concerned, that's the end of the game," Gittins said,
referring to the question of Pantano's innocence.
The Marine was charged Feb. 1 with two counts of premeditated murder
and awaits a March hearing that could lead to a court martial and
possibly the death penalty if convicted.
Pantano and the Navy man agree the Iraqis were stopped trying to flee
the hide-out in an SUV. The two men were handcuffed, and Pantano set
up a security perimeter. He then removed the cuffs and ordered the
detainees to tear apart the vehicle to ensure it wasn't booby-
trapped.
At one point, according to Pantano, the Iraqis stopped searching and
made a quick move toward him. He ordered "stop," the men kept moving,
and the Marine killed them.
The Iraqis and the vehicle turned out to be free of weapons, but
Gittins argued that unarmed men can be dangerous, and in the intense
environment of the Sunni Triangle where so many Americans had lost
their lives, Pantano had no idea what they were doing.
"They failed to stop when he ordered them to stop," Gittins said. "If
a guy is holding an M-16 on you and he says stop, you stop."
Marine Corps spokesman Maj. Matt Morgan said he could not discuss
details of the case, but Gittins confirmed some of the accuser's
claims.
The accuser, described by Gittins as a "disgruntled" Marine Corps
sergeant who served as a radio man, asserts Pantano relieved men who
were guarding the Iraqis. The accuser said Pantano sent the guards
away so they couldn't see what he was doing and uncuffed the Iraqis.
Then, according to the claim, Pantano shot the Iraqis in the back,
left their bodies lying out in the open and put a mocking sign on
them in order to "send a message."
Gittins contends, however, that no one was relieved of guarding the
Iraqis or told to turn away, and the Iraqis were shot all over their
bodies � their backs, sides and fronts � with many rounds.
No sign was put on their bodies, he claimed, but Pantano put a sign
on the SUV with the words, in English, of 1st Marine Division
commander Lt. Gen. James N. Mattis: "No better friend. No worse
enemy."
Mattis stirred controversy earlier this month for saying at a
conference "it's fun to shoot" terrorists.
Gittins insists there was no intent to mock, and the message was only
for the troops.
"The only thing provocative about it was a general said it, and my
client repeated it," he said.
'Outpouring'
Meanwhile, Pantano's mother, Merry Pantano, continues to lead a
grassroots movement of support for her son that has picked up so much
momentum her website, www.defendthedefenders.com, crashed because it
exceeded its bandwidth capacity.
"The outpouring is phenomenal," she told WND.
Mrs. Pantano, a literary agent in New York City, said her son remains
strong.
"He's amazing," she said. "He looks at this as a battle. He analyzes
everything very critically and reminds us some days will be good and
some will be bad. Move on and stay focused."
Mrs. Pantano said her son's commanding officer told him to go home to
his wife and two children in Wilmington, N.C., near Camp Lejeune, and
prepare his defense.
Among the flood of supportive messages she has received was a phone
call from an 80-year-old, decorated World War II veteran who asked
for an address so he could send a contribution of $100.
Mrs. Pantano said she launched the website a few days after the
charges were brought against her son Feb. 1.
Yesterday, she was assisted in her advocacy activities at her New
York City home by Jeffrey Dejessie, who considers Lt. Pantano to be
his best friend.
Dejessie, of Belleville, N.J., has remained close since the two men
met while serving in the Marine Corps in the first Gulf War in 1991,
taking vacations together, joining in family dinners and "being
there" for each other in hard times.
He reacted strongly to news of Pantano's charges.
"I find it hard to believe someone who previously served and had such
an impeccable service record could have this happen to him," Dejessie
said. "The kid gave up so much, a lucrative job in the city, the high
life, a career in film and broadcasting, leaving his wife and two
children behind. He could have watched this [war] on TV every night
in the comfort of his home.
After the 9-11 attacks, when Pantano said he wanted to rejoin the
Marines, Dejessie tried to talk him out of it, questioning the war
and saying, "Come on, we're in our 30s, this is someone else's chance
to serve."
But Pantano, according to Dejessie, could not be convinced otherwise
and entered the Marine Corps training school in Quantico, Va., to
become a commissioned officer.
"He really believed in what he was doing," Dejessie said. "It's scary
that they would bring charges on such a great man like him. What
could they do to the average guy?"
But Dejessie said it's Pantano who is playing the role of
optimist, "keeping everyone else motivated and upbeat."
"This guy is under the most stress of his life and he's telling us,
you keep your head up."
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