RALEIGH, N.C. — A Marine accused of deserting his unit a decade ago in Iraq has been denied another chance for the military equivalent of a grand jury hearing.
Marine spokesman Lt. Col. Cliff Gilmore said Wednesday that a military judge recently denied Cpl. Wassef Hassoun’s request for a new Article 32 hearing. Gilmore said Hassoun’s court martial is scheduled to start Dec. 8.
Hassoun’s attorney Haytham Faraj says he’s appealing the decision to deny the new hearing. A report from the previous Article 32 hearing acknowledged the military could have a difficult time proving its case.
Hassoun’s case began in 2004 when he disappeared from a base in Iraq. He turned up in Lebanon, saying he was kidnapped by extremists. After a brief return to the U.S., Hassoun disappeared to Lebanon again.
