American attacks fellow soldiers

last updated 8 January 2015

Northern Kuwait

A U.S. Army sergeant was charged with throwing several grenades into officers’ tents in Kuwait this week, killing one and injuring 15 others. Sgt. Asan Akbar, 31, is an engineer with the 101st Airborne Division who had recently been disciplined for insubordination. Akbar, a Muslim, reportedly argued with other soldiers about the legitimacy of the Iraqi invasion, and Army officials said he had “a bad attitude.” Akbar’s stepfather, William Bilal, said the sergeant had complained to him of racial discrimination. “Asan told me it was difficult for a black man to get rank in the military,” he said. Akbar could face charges of murder and mutiny.