Afghans tell Marine Corps panel they were shot without cause

CAMP LEJUENE (AP) — Two Afghan civilians wounded by fire from a Marine Corps special operations unit in March say they didn’t have any weapons and were not attacking the unit’s convoy.

The two civilians testified Tuesday by video link from Afghanistan before a Court of Inquiry, a special administrative fact-finding panel investigating the March 4 incident.

Several Marines have told the court they saw people firing at their unit after a minivan packed with explosives detonated near the second Humvee in their convoy. But the Afghan witnesses said Tuesday they didn’t hear the bombing or see an explosion, and were attacked by the Marines without cause.

An Army investigation concluded earlier this year that up to 19 civilians died in the shootings, but attorneys for two Marine officers involved argue the death toll was lower.

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