US Marine found guilty of conspiracy in Iraq murder

CAMP PENDLETON, Calif, Aug 2 (Reuters) A military jury found a Marine guilty of larceny, housebreaking and conspiracy in the 2006 murder and kidnapping of an Iraqi grandfather in Hamdania, Iraq.

In the incident, one of a series of civilian killings in Iraq that have hurt the image of the United States abroad, Marines kidnapped the neighbor of a man they were seeking, killed him and planted a stolen AK-47 and shovel nearby to suggest he was an insurgent killed in a fight.

A military jury at Camp Pendleton near San Diego found Cpl.

Marshall Magincalda guilty of larceny and housebreaking as well as participating in a conspiracy to murder, kidnap, commit larceny and obstruction of justice, make a false official statement and break into a house.

The jury acquitted Magincalda of murder, kidnapping and making a false official statement.

He is one of seven US Marines and a US sailor with 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment charged in the April 26, 2006, killing of Hashim Ibrahim Awad, 52, a father of 11 and grandfather of four.

Five members of the squad, including the Navy medic, have pleaded guilty to lesser charges in connection with the shooting. A military jury convicted a sixth member, team leader Cpl. Trent Thomas, of conspiracy and kidnapping and sentenced him to reduction to private, forfeiture of all military pay and benefits and a bad-conduct discharge.

A separate military jury is considering the verdict against the squad leader suspected of having masterminded the death, Sgt. Lawrence Hutchins III. That jury resumes its deliberations today.

REUTERS SAM BST0734