Wassef Ali Hassoun
Encyclopedia
Wassef Ali Hassoun (born January 1, 1980) was a United States Marine Corps
corporal who was charged with desertion
for leaving his unit and apparently engaging with others in a hoax
to make it appear that he had been captured by terrorists on June 19, 2004 while serving in Iraq
. Originally listed as having deserted
, the Lebanese
-American Marine was then thought to have been taken hostage by Iraqis who were thought to have befriended him.
Al Jazeera
broadcast a video of Hassoun on June 27, 2004, blindfolded and with a masked man holding a sword over his head, saying that he had been captured. His "kidnappers" identified themselves as part of "Islamic Response", the security wing of the "National Islamic Resistance" 1920 Revolution Brigades. On July 3, 2004, Al Jazeera reported that the terrorist group Jaish Ansar al-Sunna
had released a statement declaring they had beheaded Hassoun, and their website confirmed this. On the 4th it was reported al-Sunna denied this, and on July 6, Al Jazeera reported receipt of a message he'd been "taken to a safe location" after he promised to desert
from the Marine Corps. (NYT) On July 7, CNN
reported that Hassoun had contacted his family in West Jordan, Utah
and Lebanon
from the U.S. Embassy in Beirut
, asking to be picked up at an unspecified location. The Houston Chronicle
1 stated later that afternoon his family, as well as the embassy in question, deny that the telephone call had taken place.
On July 8, U.S. State Department
spokesman (at the time) Richard A. Boucher announced that Hassoun had arrived at the embassy in Beirut at 11 am EDT, and was in good health.
A preliminary result of the United States Navy
investigation into the activities of Wassef Ali Hassoun concluded that he deserted
the United States Marine Corps
on June 21, 2004. In mid-July, he publicly denied desertion http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/3908701.stm.
On December 9, 2004, The Pentagon
announced that Hassoun would be charged with desertion, larceny
and wrongful disposition of military property in connection with his service-issued M9 pistol
that disappeared with him and never turned up. If convicted, he could receive a dishonorable discharge, forfeiture of pay, and from five to ten years incarceration
on each specification.http://www.cnn.com/2004/LAW/12/09/hassoun.desert/.
In a further twist, on January 4, 2005 he was again labelled a deserter after failing to return to his base in North Carolina
from authorized leave and has not been seen since. He is reportedly in Lebanon
.
United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...
corporal who was charged with desertion
Desertion
In military terminology, desertion is the abandonment of a "duty" or post without permission and is done with the intention of not returning...
for leaving his unit and apparently engaging with others in a hoax
Hoax
A hoax is a deliberately fabricated falsehood made to masquerade as truth. It is distinguishable from errors in observation or judgment, or rumors, urban legends, pseudosciences or April Fools' Day events that are passed along in good faith by believers or as jokes.-Definition:The British...
to make it appear that he had been captured by terrorists on June 19, 2004 while serving in Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
. Originally listed as having deserted
Desertion
In military terminology, desertion is the abandonment of a "duty" or post without permission and is done with the intention of not returning...
, the Lebanese
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
-American Marine was then thought to have been taken hostage by Iraqis who were thought to have befriended him.
Al Jazeera
Al Jazeera
Al Jazeera is an independent broadcaster owned by the state of Qatar through the Qatar Media Corporation and headquartered in Doha, Qatar...
broadcast a video of Hassoun on June 27, 2004, blindfolded and with a masked man holding a sword over his head, saying that he had been captured. His "kidnappers" identified themselves as part of "Islamic Response", the security wing of the "National Islamic Resistance" 1920 Revolution Brigades. On July 3, 2004, Al Jazeera reported that the terrorist group Jaish Ansar al-Sunna
Jaish Ansar al-Sunna
Ansar al-Sunnah or Jamaat Ansar al-Sunnah or Group of the Followers of Sunnah , is a terrorist salafi group in Iraq that is fighting the U.S.-led occupation and the elected government led by Nouri al-Maliki. The group is based in northern and central Iraq, and includes mostly Iraqi fighters...
had released a statement declaring they had beheaded Hassoun, and their website confirmed this. On the 4th it was reported al-Sunna denied this, and on July 6, Al Jazeera reported receipt of a message he'd been "taken to a safe location" after he promised to desert
Desertion
In military terminology, desertion is the abandonment of a "duty" or post without permission and is done with the intention of not returning...
from the Marine Corps. (NYT) On July 7, CNN
CNN
Cable News Network is a U.S. cable news channel founded in 1980 by Ted Turner. Upon its launch, CNN was the first channel to provide 24-hour television news coverage, and the first all-news television channel in the United States...
reported that Hassoun had contacted his family in West Jordan, Utah
West Jordan, Utah
West Jordan is a city in Salt Lake County, Utah, United States. West Jordan is a rapidly growing suburb of Salt Lake City and has a mixed economy. According to the 2010 Census, the city had a population of 103,712, placing it as the fourth most populated in the state. The city occupies the...
and Lebanon
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
from the U.S. Embassy in Beirut
Beirut
Beirut is the capital and largest city of Lebanon, with a population ranging from 1 million to more than 2 million . Located on a peninsula at the midpoint of Lebanon's Mediterranean coastline, it serves as the country's largest and main seaport, and also forms the Beirut Metropolitan...
, asking to be picked up at an unspecified location. The Houston Chronicle
Houston Chronicle
The Houston Chronicle is the largest daily newspaper in Texas, USA, headquartered in the Houston Chronicle Building in Downtown Houston. , it is the ninth-largest newspaper by circulation in the United States...
1 stated later that afternoon his family, as well as the embassy in question, deny that the telephone call had taken place.
On July 8, U.S. State Department
United States Department of State
The United States Department of State , is the United States federal executive department responsible for international relations of the United States, equivalent to the foreign ministries of other countries...
spokesman (at the time) Richard A. Boucher announced that Hassoun had arrived at the embassy in Beirut at 11 am EDT, and was in good health.
A preliminary result of the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
investigation into the activities of Wassef Ali Hassoun concluded that he deserted
Desertion
In military terminology, desertion is the abandonment of a "duty" or post without permission and is done with the intention of not returning...
the United States Marine Corps
United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...
on June 21, 2004. In mid-July, he publicly denied desertion http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/3908701.stm.
On December 9, 2004, The Pentagon
The Pentagon
The Pentagon is the headquarters of the United States Department of Defense, located in Arlington County, Virginia. As a symbol of the U.S. military, "the Pentagon" is often used metonymically to refer to the Department of Defense rather than the building itself.Designed by the American architect...
announced that Hassoun would be charged with desertion, larceny
Larceny
Larceny is a crime involving the wrongful acquisition of the personal property of another person. It was an offence under the common law of England and became an offence in jurisdictions which incorporated the common law of England into their own law. It has been abolished in England and Wales,...
and wrongful disposition of military property in connection with his service-issued M9 pistol
M9 Pistol
The Beretta M9, formally Pistol, Semiautomatic, 9mm, M9, is a 9×19mm Parabellum pistol of the United States military adopted in 1985. It is essentially a military specification Beretta 92F, later the 92FS....
that disappeared with him and never turned up. If convicted, he could receive a dishonorable discharge, forfeiture of pay, and from five to ten years incarceration
Incarceration
Incarceration is the detention of a person in prison, typically as punishment for a crime .People are most commonly incarcerated upon suspicion or conviction of committing a crime, and different jurisdictions have differing laws governing the function of incarceration within a larger system of...
on each specification.http://www.cnn.com/2004/LAW/12/09/hassoun.desert/.
In a further twist, on January 4, 2005 he was again labelled a deserter after failing to return to his base in North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
from authorized leave and has not been seen since. He is reportedly in Lebanon
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
.