Spain
Warrant issued for U.S. soldiersPosted Feb 25 2007
On Jan. 16 Madrid judge Santiago Pedraz issued an international arrest warrant for three U.S. soldiers wanted in connection to the death of Spanish cameraman Jose Couso. Couso, an employee of the privately owned television station Telecinco, was killed on April 8th, 2003, when a U.S. tank fired a shell at a Baghdad hotel used by the international media. The warrant names Sgt. Thomas Gibson, Capt. Phillip Wolford and Lt. Col. Phillip de Camp, the three soldiers in charge of the tank that fired the shell at the Hotel Palestine. Judge Pedraz said consideration should also be given to freezing the assets of the soldiers involved in case they are ordered to pay compensation to the Couso family.
The U.S. army concluded in a 2003 report that the coalition forces had committed no misconduct or negligence, and that the shell was fired at what was believed to have been the source of enemy fire. Furthermore, the U.S. embassy in Madrid stated that Couso’s death was already the subject of an investigation that concluded the soldiers acted according to the rules of engagement enforced in that war zone.
If U.S. authorities refuse to extradite the three soldiers, they could still be arrested if they travel to a country that has signed an extradition treaty with Spain. Judge Pedraz had previously issued a warrant for the three soldiers in October 2005, but a criminal court dismissed the case in March 2006. However, the Spanish Supreme Court (Tribunal Supremo) overruled the decision on December 5th, 2006, ordering the investigation into Couso’s death be reopened.