fantassin
03-15-2004, 12:27 PM
Italy may charge pilots who refused to fly in Iraq
*******, March 5, 2004
Italian military prosecutors are considering pressing mutiny charges against four helicopter pilots who refused to fly in Iraq, the army said on Friday.
An army official told ******* the four army pilots joined Italy's military contingent in southern Iraq late last year but after flying just one mission refused to take to the air again and were sent home to face disciplinary action.
Under military law, if four or more soldiers get together and collectively refuse to obey an order they can be charged with mutiny. If found guilty they would face between six months and three years in jail.
Corriere della Sera newspaper said Italian army helicopters in Iraq were not equipped with automatic anti-missile protection systems. The paper said the aircraft had radar systems that warned of incoming missile fire but that it was then up to the pilot to launch protective counter measures, such as flares.
However, army general Roberto Tonon told ANSA news agency the helicopters had good defensive capabilities.
"The four pilots did not have any special reason to feel at risk," he said.
Italy has some 3,000 troops deployed in southern Iraq. Last November, 19 Italians died in a suicide attack on a military police barracks.
More than 10 U.S. military helicopters have crashed or been brought down by guerrilla attacks in Iraq since U.S. President George W. Bush declared major combat over on May 1, 2003.
*******, March 5, 2004
Italian military prosecutors are considering pressing mutiny charges against four helicopter pilots who refused to fly in Iraq, the army said on Friday.
An army official told ******* the four army pilots joined Italy's military contingent in southern Iraq late last year but after flying just one mission refused to take to the air again and were sent home to face disciplinary action.
Under military law, if four or more soldiers get together and collectively refuse to obey an order they can be charged with mutiny. If found guilty they would face between six months and three years in jail.
Corriere della Sera newspaper said Italian army helicopters in Iraq were not equipped with automatic anti-missile protection systems. The paper said the aircraft had radar systems that warned of incoming missile fire but that it was then up to the pilot to launch protective counter measures, such as flares.
However, army general Roberto Tonon told ANSA news agency the helicopters had good defensive capabilities.
"The four pilots did not have any special reason to feel at risk," he said.
Italy has some 3,000 troops deployed in southern Iraq. Last November, 19 Italians died in a suicide attack on a military police barracks.
More than 10 U.S. military helicopters have crashed or been brought down by guerrilla attacks in Iraq since U.S. President George W. Bush declared major combat over on May 1, 2003.