WASHINGTON - The Air Force is recommending criminal charges against two Air National Guard pilots for their role in the fatal bombing of Canadian soldiers in Afghanistan ( news - web sites), a senior defense official said.
The charges were to be announced Friday at the Pentagon ( news - web sites) after the U.S. Central Command and the Canadian government released additional details from a joint investigation of the April 17 tragedy.
The senior defense official, who spoke Thursday on condition of anonymity, said the Air Force would recommend that F-16 pilot Maj. Harry Schmidt be charged with involuntary manslaughter. He dropped a 500-pound bomb on a group of Canadian soldiers, mistaking them for enemy forces. Four Canadians were killed and eight were wounded.
Thursday, September 12, 2002
Air Force recommending criminal charges against two National Guard pilots