Investigation Into Iraqi Civilian Murders Stems From Death Of El Paso Marine

The death of an El Paso marine is at the center of a firestorm. The murders of 24 Iraqi civilians, allegedly at the hands of U.S. Marines, followed the explosion of a road side bomb that killed Lance Corporal Miguel Terrazas.

Terrazas, who was 20, graduated from Mountain View High School in 2003 the shootout erupted last November in the city of Haditha, Iraq.

Civil rights groups in Iraq claim the mass murders were retaliation for Terrazas’ death.

U.S. military investigators believe bullet shells found in the homes where the killings took place came from Marine weapons. Now, several members of Congress have said high-level reports indicate the Marines fired at innocent civilians without provocation, and the killings were covered up.

One of the more outspoken lawmakers, U.S. Rep. John Murtha (D-PA) appeared Sunday on the ABC program, “This Week with George Stephanopoulos.”

“I will not excuse murder. And this is what happened. There’s no question in my mind about it,” Murtha said.

“This investigation should have been over two or three weeks afterwards, and it should have been made public, and people should have been held responsible for it,” he said.

Pending the outcome of an investigation, the U.S. Marines accused of the killings could face criminal charges, including murder, U.S. officials said.