[dadyamaru]

Petty Officer Melson J Bacos, a U.S. Navy medic has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for taking part in the kidnapping of an Iraqi civilian who was later killed by U.S. marines.

Bacos told his U.S. court-martial that he and the seven Marines he accompanied on patrol kidnapped Hashim Ibrahim Awad last April from his home in the town of Hamdaniya. The Seven Marines later threw Ibrahim into a hole and shot him in the head 10 times.

The April 26 killing in Hamdaniya is expected to fuel the current strong criticism the American President George W Bush is facing over mishandling Iraq war and the many scandals that had been uncovering over the past three years and tarnished the reputation of the American troops in Iraq.

Bacos, who admitted to charges of kidnapping, conspiracy to kidnap and conspiracy to file a false statement, was sentenced to 10 years in prison for his role in the kidnap and murder, but he will actually serve one year, part of a plea bargain at the court-martial in Camp Pendleton, southern California.

Military judge Col Steven Folsom reduced Bacos’ sentence to one year after he agreed to give evidence against the seven marines charged with the murder.

Bacos told the court that he was on patrol with the marine squad who were searching for Saleh Gowad, whom they allege is a “terror suspect” who had been captured three times but released.

Angry and frustrated for failing to find the “insurgent”, the Marines instead seized neighbour Hashim Awad, 52, from his home, put him into a hole and shot him ten times into his head.

"I knew that we were doing something wrong. I tried saying something, sir," he testified, adding that a marine told him to "quit being a ####".

He said Squad leader Sgt Lawrence Hutchins ordered the Marines to fire AK-47 rounds into the air "to make it look like we were in a firefight with this man".

Hutchins fired three shots into Mr Awad's head and then Cpl Trent Thomas fired 7 others also into Mr. Awad’s head, Bacos added.

After committing their crime, the U.S. Marines placed bullets and a shovel next to Mr Awad's body to make it appear as if he were trying to plant a roadside bomb.

"Now I feel as though my honour is gone and I have let down others who have looked up to me. I apologise to our country," Bacos, who said the crime made him "sick to my stomach", added.

The medic was quoted by Reuters news agency as saying. "I also ask forgiveness from the Iraqi family we have done this to."

Marine commander General James Mattis said that the death penalty won’t be sought against any of the marines.