An elite special forces combat officer nicknamed “Blade” is facing a court martial amid claims he killed defenceless civilians in cold blood.
The trial of Navy Seals Special Operations Chief Edward Gallagher, 39, is set to split public opinion in America in a bitter row over whether he is a war hero or a war criminal.
Gallagher is accused of stabbing a teen captive to death in 2017, picking off a school-age girl and an old man from a sniper’s roost, and indiscriminately spraying neighbourhoods with rockets and machine-gun fire.
The Navy Seals – the US equivalent of the British SAS – is the unit that hunted down Osama Bin Laden.
Saudi Arabia crucifies man, beheads dozens and 'pins head to pole' in 'barbaric' day of executions
They have a reputation among the world’s armed forces as being an elite “tier one” unit – often having to make split second life-and-death decisions operating behind enemy lines.
But the difference in the case of Gallagher is that his accusers are other Seals who have served with him.
They claim they witnessed their highly decorated platoon chief commit shocking acts in Iraq, in the fight against Isis. Seven members of the platoon called a private meeting with their troop commander in March 2018.
According to a confidential report obtained by The New York Times, they gave him the bloody details and asked for a formal investigation.
Jihadi bride Shamima Begum 'stitched ISIS suicide bombers into explosive vests'
They further claim that they were warned that speaking out could cost them their careers.
They eventually forced the referral of their concerns to authorities outside the Seals and Gallagher now faces a court martial, set to begin May 28.
The case is already dividing folk in the US, with conservatives and veterans’ groups lining
up to support and raise funds for Gallagher, while liberals insist the law must take its course.
Gallagher’s superior, Lieutenant Jacob Portier, has been charged with destroying evidence
and failing to report possible crimes.
