Marines Investigate Source of Video That Boasts of Murdering Iraqis

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WASHINGTON – A music video posted to the Internet, telling a tale about a U.S. Marine killing members of an Iraqi family, is being condemned by an Islamic group and investigated by the Marine Corps.

The four-minute video, called “Hadji Girl,” appears to be sung by a Marine in front of a cheering audience. The lyrics talk about the Marine gunning down members of an Iraqi woman’s family after they confront him with automatic weapons.

Lieutenant Colonel Scott Fazekas, a spokesman for the Marines, said Tuesday that the Marines were aware of a video posted on the Internet that “purports to show a Marine singing an insensitive song about Iraqis.” Colonel Fazekas said officials don’t know the identity of the singer or whether he is in the military.

The song was “inappropriate and contrary to the high standards expected of all Marines,” Colonel Fazekas said. He said Marine officers are looking into the matter.

Nihad Awad, executive director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, said that in light of recent allegations of atrocities committed by Marines in Haditha and other towns in Iraq, the video should be investigated by the Pentagon and Congress.

“The inappropriate actions of a few individuals should not be allowed to tarnish the reputation of all American military personnel,” said Mr. Awad.

The video was posted anonymously on the http://www.youtube.com Web site, but was removed. It is still available on CAIR’s Web site. A Hadji is a pilgrim who journeys to Mecca, but CAIR said the word has often been used as a disparaging term by American troops in Iraq.

The singer is shown playing a guitar and singing about meeting an Iraqi woman and then being confronted by her brother and father, who have guns. The lyrics describe the Marine pulling the woman’s little sister in front of him and watching blood spray from her head.

He then sings about blowing the father and brother “to eternity.”


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