Afghan: U.S. soldier shot my defenseless father

(CBS/AP) KANDAHAR, Afghanistan - An Afghan youth recounted on Monday the terrifying scene in his home as a lone U.S. soldier moved stealthily through it during a killing spree, then crouched down and shot his father in the thigh as he stepped out of the bedroom.

The soldier, now in U.S. custody, is accused of killing 16 Afghan civilians in their homes in the middle of the night between Saturday and Sunday and then burning some of their corpses. Afghan President Hamid Karzai said nine of those killed were children and three were women.

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"He was walking around taking up positions in the house -- in two or three places like he was searching," said 26-year-old witness Mohammad Zahir, who watched the gunman while hiding in another room. "He was on his knees when he shot my father" in the thigh, he told The Associated Press. His father was wounded but survived.

Even before the shootings, anti-Americanism was already boiling in Afghanistan over U.S. troops burning Muslim holy books, including Korans, last month on an American base. The burnings came to light soon after a video purporting to show four Marines urinating on Taliban corpses was posted on the Internet in January.

Now, another wave of anti-foreigner hatred could threaten the entire future of the U.S.-led coalition's mission in Afghanistan. The recent events have not only infuriated Afghanistan's people and leaders, but have also raised doubts among U.S. political figures that the long and costly war is worth the sacrifice in lives and money.

Zahir recounted the harrowing scene in his family home when the soldier came in before dawn.

"I heard a gunshot. When I came out of my room, somebody entered our house. He was in a NATO forces uniform. I didn't see his face because it was dark," he said.

Zahir said he quickly went into another room in the house, where animals are penned.

"After that, I saw him moving to different areas of the house -- like he was searching," he said.

His father, unarmed, then took a few steps out of his bedroom door, Zahir recalled.

"He was not holding anything -- not even a cup of tea," Zahir said. Then he fired.

"My mother was pulling my father into the room. I put a cloth on his wound," he said.

After the gunman left, Zahir said he heard gunshots near the house again. He stayed in hiding for a few minutes to make sure he was gone.

(CBS News consultant Jere Van Dyk discusses Afghans' reactions and possible ramifications after 16 civilians were killed in a shooting rampage. Watch at left.)

The shooting rampage unfolded in two villages near a U.S. base in southern Kandahar province. An enraged Karzai called it "an assassination, an intentional killing of innocent civilians" that cannot be forgiven. He demanded an explanation from Washington.

The Taliban has vowed revenge over the attacks and local villagers want the soldier handed over to them, so they can ensure justice is done.

Tensions between Afghanistan and the United States rocketed last month after word of the Koran burnings got out. President Barack Obama said the burnings were a mistake and apologized.

But the strains had appeared to be easing as recently as Friday, when the two governments signed a memorandum of understanding about the transfer of Afghan detainees to Afghan control -- a key step toward an eventual strategic partnership to govern U.S. forces in the country.

In Afghanistan's parliament on Monday, however, lawmakers called for a halt to negotiations on the strategic partnership document until it is clear that soldier behind the shooting rampage is facing justice in Afghanistan. The soldier will most likely face a military tribunal in the U.S., and Afghan anger will continue to build.

"We said to Karzai: If you sign that document, you are betraying your country," said Shikiba Ashimi, a parliamentarian from Kandahar. "The U.S. should be very careful. It is sabotaging the atmosphere of this strategic partnership."

Still the public response to the shootings so far has been calmer than the six days of violent protests and clashes that erupted after Qurans were burned at Bagram Air Field. There were no signs of protests Monday.

Afghan forces also turned their guns on their supposed allies in the aftermath of the Koran burnings, killing six U.S. troops.

The Taliban vowed revenge in a statement against what they called "sick-minded American savages" following the killings. It also claimed responsibility for several attacks last month that the group said were retaliation for the Americans burning Korans.

Taliban vows revenge for Afghan shootings

The al Qaeda-linked militant group said in a statement on their website that Americans committed the "blood-soaked and inhumane crime" in a rural region that is the cradle of the Taliban and where coalition forces have fought for control for years.

U.S.-led forces in Afghanistan have stepped up security following the shootings out of concern about retaliatory attacks. The U.S. Embassy has also warned American citizens in Afghanistan about the possibility of reprisals. As standard practice, the coalition increased security following the shootings out of concern about retaliatory attacks, said German Brig. Gen. Carsten Jacobson, a coalition spokesman.

The suspect in the shootings, who is in U.S. military custody, is a staff sergeant who has been in the military for 11 years. He is married with two children. He served three tours in Iraq and began his first deployment to Afghanistan in December, according to a senior U.S. official.

He is from Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash., and was assigned to support a special operations unit of either Green Berets or Navy SEALs engaged in a village stability operation, said a U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity because the investigation is still ongoing. Special operations troops pair with local residents chosen by village elders to become essentially a sanctioned, armed neighborhood watch.

Two U.S. defense officials said an investigation has been started by the Army Criminal Investigation Division, but that it was too soon to say when any charges might be filed. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak about the issue.

The suspect, from the Army's Stryker Brigade, was assigned to support a special operations unit engaged in a village stability operation. Now the stability of the entire country has been called into question.

The Afghan Defense Ministry said the gunman left the base in Panjwai district and walked about one mile to Balandi village. Villagers described how they cowered in fear around 3 a.m. as gunshots rang out and the soldier roamed from house to house, firing on those inside. They said he entered three homes in all and set fire to some of the bodies after he killed them.

Eleven of the 12 civilians killed in Balandi were from the same family. The remaining victim was a neighbor.

From Balandi, the gunman walked roughly one mile to the village of Alkozai, which was only about 500 meters from the American military base. There the gunman killed four people in one house and then moved to Zahir's house, where he shot his father in the leg.

U.S. officials said initial reports indicated that the soldier returned to his base after the shootings and turned himself in.

Some Afghan officials and local villagers expressed doubt that a single U.S. soldier could have carried out all the killings and burned the bodies afterward.

"It is not possible for only one American soldier to come out of his base, kill a number of people far away, burn the bodies, go to another house and kill civilians there, then walk at least 2 kilometers and enter another house, kill civilians and burn them," said Abdul Rahim Ayubi, a lawmaker from Kandahar province who visited the area on Monday.

Some villagers also told officials there were multiple soldiers and heard shooting from different directions. But many others said they only saw a single soldier.

Lt. Col. Jimmie Cummings, another spokesman for the coalition, insisted there was only one gunman.

"There's no indication that there was more than one shooter," he said.

Agha Lalia, member of the Kandahar provincial council who is from Panjwai district, said he talked to two people who were injured in the shooting at a hospital at Kandahar Air Field, where they are being treated by coalition medical personnel. Both said they only saw one soldier shooting.

[technocoffee]

"Afghan Taliban beat, stone, honor-kill & keep us locked up indoors with no rights...EVERY DAY"...Afghani women

[wattermelann]

Nine innocent children and 3 innocent women were killed in their homes-this is unacceptable. I am terribly upset about what has happened to these innocent citizens in Afghanistan. I imagine the terror that these families felt all the time now and I feel so badly for their loss. I hope that the citizens of this violated village understands that there are many Americans who feel very badly about this tragedy and insist that this DOES NOT happen again. I am sure that there are many Americans who do not condone this kind of irresponsible action and hope that justice is served appropriately to all those involved including those who assigned a soldier with a Traumatic Brain Injury back into a war zone. He should not have been allowed to go back into his position as a sniper with a brain injury. I am so sorry for your loss and you are in my prayers.

[themanfrombrum]

I've said it before and now I'll repeat myself. Hand him over to the Afghan villagers and let them judge him. It is awful that he has committed such a horrendous crime on Afghan soil and yet the Afghan people aren't able to bring him to justice under their own Islamic law. Bringing him back to the US to face a Military Tribunal won't do any damn good - the US will only be hated more and more.

[Eosphorus]

A tempting proposition, certainly, but someone will end up alienated no matter what the authorities do. Not bringing him back to the US will cause an outrage among the people of the US, and I imagine the american military personnel is not going to be happy either.

[mecury69]

He needs to be held accountable for his actions. What does it say to the world when we continue to hand out slaps on the wrists for killing innocent civilians?

War is hell and it brings out the worst in us but you have to maintain your honor and laws regardless.

This war has gone on far too long. You can't ask these soldiers to go from their lives in America to this war torn country for countless tours, it would drive most people crazy.

Enough, Al-Qaeda is defeated. Afghanistan will never be civilized so what is the point?

[nancy_naive]

"We find you not guilty by reason of temporary insanity. Do you feel better, now? Good. Try not to do this again, okay, Sergeant."

Military Justice is to Justice as military music is to music.

[Ericwvb]

This slaughter of innocent civilians is a horrific crime and this soldier must be punished severely.

I understand the outcry from the Afghans over this. I would hope the next time a "martyr" kills scores in a suicide bombing there will be similar outcry accompanied by demands against these extremists.

[jwilsonte]

This so called soldier should to Shot and fed to wild dogs... Sadly this is our miltary Hopefully he is stoned to death all the other soldiers will pay and americans for this sick SOB !!!! And of course a hand full of other people like him will defend him!!!These were women and childern not even men the great marines LOL

[bilrobi1]

I don't know how things are now. I served a life time or two ago in Vietnam. I do remember being told( indoctrinated) that the Vietnamese where unfeeling and didn't care about their children an d they were maybe just a little less then human. This is not just something the U.S. forces are taught. It in fact makes some sense in terms of survival. Combine that with this person's apparent frequent deployments to Iraq and now Afghanistan. There is no way to defend this person's actions. He needs to be held responsible for his acts and that needs to lead to where ever it leads. All wars whether "justified" or not are by definition immoral.

[Rodeo_Joe]

Turn the scumbag over to the waiting mob.

Announce his release 48hr.s ahead, so the mob will be ready. Then videotape the carnage, and use it to educate the newbie troops.