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Canadian army man charged with murder
A Canadian military adviser who served in Afghanistan during a bloody October battle against the Taliban has been charged with second-degree murder in the death of an unarmed Afghan man, defence officials said Friday.
- AP
- Published: 23:19 January 3, 2009
Toronto: A Canadian military adviser who served in Afghanistan during a bloody October battle against the Taliban has been charged with second-degree murder in the death of an unarmed Afghan man, defence officials said Friday.
Captain Robert Semrau is accused of shooting the man "with intent to kill" in Helmand province, where Afghan soldiers, their Canadian officers and British troops had been defending the capital of Lashkar Gah from persistent attacks by insurgents.
As a member of the Operational Mentor and Liaison Team, Semrau's responsibilities included helping to guide and counsel Afghan troops military tactics and the rules of war.
Semrau is being held by military police before being returned to Canada, where a military judge will decide whether he should remain in custody.
Afghanistan's ambassador to Canada, Omar Samad, said the issue should not taint all the work done these past few years by Canadian military advisers.
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