Haditha Marines Were Fired On

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Contrary to claims from Rep. John Murtha, Marines accused of executing 24 innocent Iraqis in the village of Haditha last November were indeed fired upon after their convoy was hit by a roadside bomb - according to a lawyer involved in the case.

"There's a ton of information that isn't out there yet," the lawyer said Monday, speaking on condition of anonymity to the Washington Post.

He said contemporaneous radio messages reviewed by military investigators will show that Marines accused of unprovoked retaliation after the blast had, in fact, come under small-arms fire.

Rep. Murtha has insisted that initial reports that the Marines were fired on were part of the military's attempts to cover up the wanton execution of 24 innocent Iraqis.

"The reports that I have, from the highest level [show] no firing at all," he told ABC News on Sunday. "No interaction. No military action at all in this particular incident."
Media reports have also claimed that no one fired at the Marines.

The Los Angeles Times, for instance, reported on Saturday:

"The Marines involved in the incident initially reported that they had become embroiled in a firefight with insurgents after the explosion. However, evidence that later emerged contradicted that version."