U.S. Marine accused of what would be otherwise classified as terrorism gets what many would call a slap on the wrist for the alleged offenses
A decade ago, United States Marine Corporal Wassef Hassoun was serving in Fallujah, Iraq when he disappeared. Â He was not seen again until June of 2004 when a video surfaced of him blindfolded with a sword being waved above him, apparently taken by an extremist group claiming to have him captive.
Not long after, he appeared unharmed at the US Embassy in Beirut. His disappearance seemed suspicious to officials, who returned him to Camp Lejeune, North Carolina while they went over his case and considered possible charges. Â After he came back to the US, he was allowed to visit family, so he traveled to them in Utah.
This is where he disappeared a second time in early 2005.
According to Hassoun’s attorney, he went to Lebanon, but was detained by authorities following a bulletin released by Interpol related to his deserter status. His proceedings there lasted until 2013, when he turned himself in to U.S. authorities following Lebanon lifting travel restrictions.
Hassoun has now been tried in the US, where he has formally been convicted of Desertion, with his sentencing Monday resulting in him serving two years in prison.
A spokesman for the U.S. Marines, Capt. Stewart Coles, said in a release that Hassoun faced a maximum penalty of 7 ½ years in prison, reduction in rank, loss of pay and a dishonorable discharge.
The case follows similar murky parallels to the case of Army Sergeant Bowe Bergdahl, a soldier who left his post in Afghanistan and was held by the Taliban for five years.  The Army is considering what, if any, charges or punishment Bergdahl should face. Neither case is determining the outset of the other due to the fact they are two completely different branches.
Prosecutors argued during trial that Hassoun made preparations to flee his base in Fallujah in 2004 and made several statements claiming to do so to his comrades in Iraq, saying things like, “I’ll leave and go to Lebanon. I’m not kidding”, according to those interviewed.
According to prosecutors, Hassoun was unhappy with U.S. servicemen’s treatment of Iraqis during interrogations and being deployed kept him apart from the woman with whom he had entered an arranged marriage.
Associated Press reports claim defense attorneys maintain Hassoun was kidnapped by insurgents in 2004, and they argued the military had no direct evidence that Hassoun purposely left the base.
Defense attorney Faraj said the case against the Muslim serviceman began with “a rush to judgment that’s worthy of a novel” after suspicious comrades told investigators about comments Hassoun made about the conflict between his native Lebanon and Israel. Had Hassoun been convicted of all charges and specifications, he could have been sentenced to a maximum of 27 years in prison. –
-Curt Cramer(@CurtisRemarc)
