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Navy SEALs across the country are standing behind three of their own. One is accused of beating a suspected terrorist, the others are accused of lying
about it.
Scott Taylor is a former Navy SEAL and one of more than 300 people who are going to protest the Navy. They think the three SEALs facing dereliction of duty and other charges in the beating of an Iraqi terrorist have no business being court-martialed.
"We obviously believe these guys are innocent and are going to have a peaceful protest to show our support for those folks," Taylor said.
Matthew Mccabe, Johnathan Keefe and Julio Huertas are at the center of the case in which Ahmed Hashim Abid, the man the military thinks planned the ambush in Fallujah in 2004, claims he was hit while in captivity. The attack killed four contractors from Blackwater.
The bodies were strung up and hanged over a bridge. The three SEALs could have faced an in house investigation - they most likely would have been punished, but it would have been minor. Instead, all three have decided to stand trial in a court-martial.
"It's obvious that they feel very strongly that they are innocent having not gone through that administration process. They felt strongly enough to go to a court marshall rather than do that."
The protest will take place at Naval Station Norfolk on Monday right after the SEALs make their first court appearance. The folks coming out here say they want to show their support for three SEALs they think have been unfairly charged.
"I know that within our community we are really upset with the political correctness on the operational level that is infused there," Taylor added.
If convicted, they could face up to a year in a military prison and a bad conduct discharge. While they will face a military judge with just their attornies by their sides, they know they will also have a number of supporters, including Scott Taylor right outside.
Scott Taylor is a former Navy SEAL and one of more than 300 people who are going to protest the Navy. They think the three SEALs facing dereliction of duty and other charges in the beating of an Iraqi terrorist have no business being court-martialed.
"We obviously believe these guys are innocent and are going to have a peaceful protest to show our support for those folks," Taylor said.
Matthew Mccabe, Johnathan Keefe and Julio Huertas are at the center of the case in which Ahmed Hashim Abid, the man the military thinks planned the ambush in Fallujah in 2004, claims he was hit while in captivity. The attack killed four contractors from Blackwater.
The bodies were strung up and hanged over a bridge. The three SEALs could have faced an in house investigation - they most likely would have been punished, but it would have been minor. Instead, all three have decided to stand trial in a court-martial.
"It's obvious that they feel very strongly that they are innocent having not gone through that administration process. They felt strongly enough to go to a court marshall rather than do that."
The protest will take place at Naval Station Norfolk on Monday right after the SEALs make their first court appearance. The folks coming out here say they want to show their support for three SEALs they think have been unfairly charged.
"I know that within our community we are really upset with the political correctness on the operational level that is infused there," Taylor added.
If convicted, they could face up to a year in a military prison and a bad conduct discharge. While they will face a military judge with just their attornies by their sides, they know they will also have a number of supporters, including Scott Taylor right outside.
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