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| Afghanistan |
| Investigation into Canadian soldier's death |
| 2006-08-10 |
| KANDAHAR, Afghanistan (CP) - Military investigators are looking into whether negligence was a factor in the shooting death of a Canadian soldier in Afghanistan. Investigators stressed Thursday they hadn't yet determined whether Master Cpl. Jeffrey Walsh's death was purely accidental or the result of a negligent act. But whenever a shot is fired by a soldier, someone has to be held to account, said Capt. Mark Giles, spokesman for the military's National Investigation Service. "Ultimately, whenever a weapon is discharged, either intentionally or unintentionally - as appears to be the case in this situation - someone is responsible," he said. "The question for our investigators is who is responsible, and whether or not the actions taken or not taken should result in charges." Foul play and suicide, as well as enemy action, had been ruled out Thursday as reasons for Walsh's death. Walsh, a member of the Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry based in Shilo, Man., was shot Wednesday when a group of soldiers was either entering or driving in a Canadian Forces G-Wagon west of Kandahar. Walsh had been in Kandahar for just six days as part of a new rotation of soldiers beginning a six-month tour of duty in southern Afghanistan. Officials refused again on Thursday to say whether Walsh was shot by another soldier, although military sources had said that's what happened. Two NIS investigators have been interviewing witnesses and collecting information. Another two investigators on their way to Afghanistan as part of the troop rotation were also expected to join the probe. Three weapons have been seized, with two of them believed to be C7 rifles that are standard issue for Canadian soldiers. An autopsy will be conducted on Walsh's body in Canada, likely within a week. As well, the seized weapons are being sent to an RCMP lab for analysis. So far, the military will only call the incident an "unintentional discharge of a Canadian Forces weapon," being careful not to reveal too much information that could hamper the investigation or a potential court case. "We are looking at all possibilities within this realm," said Giles, "including safe weapons handling and weapons maintenance aspects." Investigators also have to look at the possibility that the weapon somehow discharged on its own, and whether the confined cabin space of the G-wagon or other equipment played a role. "They had lots of equipment, lots of kit. So we have to take that into consideration." |
| Posted by:Steve White |