Too soon to judge alleged Iraq killings-US general

WASHINGTON, May 29 (Reuters) Charges will be brought against US Marines if an investigation into the alleged killing of unarmed Iraqi civilians uncovers wrongdoing, the chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff said today.

Marine Gen Peter Pace also told CNN that he still did not know why it had taken nearly three months for the Pentagon to find out about the Nov. 19 incident in the Iraqi town of Haditha, in which up to 24 civilians were killed.

''If the allegations as they are being portrayed in the newspapers turn out to be valid, then of course there'll be charges,'' Pace, the highest ranking US military officer and primary military advisor to the president and defense secretary, said.

Pace said the Pentagon had not found out about the incident until February 10.

''We do not know yet why we did not know,'' he said.

The US military has said 15 civilians were killed in Haditha, about 140 miles (220 km) northwest of Baghdad. Other accounts put the number at around 24.

A US defense official said on Friday Marines could face criminal charges, possibly including murder, in what would be the worst case of abuse by American soldiers in Iraq since the 2003 invasion.

''I don't suspect anything,'' Pace said. ''I want to wait for the investigation. We will find out what happened and we will make it public, but to speculate right now wouldn't do anyone any good.'' Pace, the first Marine to serve as chairman of the Joint Chiefs, said ''99.9 per cent'' of US soldiers in Iraq were conducting themselves with honor and courage.

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