Hearing begins for US soldiers charged with killing Afghans

The US Army held the first hearing Monday in a war crimes case against a group of soldiers accused of killing Afghan civilians for sport, mutilating corpses and plotting a cover-up.

Authorities say five of the 12 soldiers on trial opened fire on Afghan civilians in unprovoked assaults over several months in southern Kandahar Province, with the rest accused of dismembering bodies and removing bones.

The case, before a military court south of Seattle, could have explosive ramifications for the war effort as US-led forces try to win over local Afghans and counter Taliban insurgents in the pivotal Kandahar battlefield.

Monday's hearing focuses on Specialist Jeremy Morlock, 22, of Wasila, Alaska, who faces charges of premeditated murder in the deaths of three Afghans killed between January and May.

Morlock and several of the men also are charged with punching and kicking a fellow soldier to stifle an investigation into hashish use.

The father of one of the accused, Specialist Adam Winfield, has told US media that his son warned him via Facebook that his unit had killed an Afghan civilian for no reason and was plotting to commit more murders.

The military hearing at Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Washington state will determine whether there is sufficient evidence to proceed to trial, and more hearings are expected in the coming weeks for the other defendants.

Pentagon press secretary Geoff Morrell said earlier this month that the charges represented "an aberration" for nearly 100,000 US forces in Afghanistan.

Also Monday, Australia's chief military prosecutor said three Australian soldiers will face charges, including manslaughter, over a raid in Afghanistan that left five children dead.

Agencies