Navy Seal War Crimes: Defence Team Seeks Dismissal or Lead Prosecutor's Removal Amid Allegations of Misconduct

The highly publicized case of Navy SEAL Edward Gallagher, who is charged with war crimes, has taken another dramatic turn as his defence team filed motions seeking either the dismissal of the charges altogether or the removal of the lead prosecutor from the case. The move comes amid allegations of misconduct by the prosecutor and agents of the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS).

At a pre-trial hearing in San Diego, defence attorney Timothy Parlatore, representing Gallagher, spoke to reporters about the situation. According to Parlatore, his client is being wrongly accused and that fellow SEAL team members testifying against him are disgruntled subordinates who fabricated allegations to force him from command.

The charges against Gallagher stem from his deployment as a platoon leader to Iraq's northern city of Mosul in 2017. He is accused of murdering a helpless, wounded Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL or ISIS) fighter in his custody, as well as attempting to murder two unarmed civilians, a schoolgirl and an elderly man, who were shot from a sniper's perch.

The defence team has also raised concerns about the conduct of the lead prosecutor, alleging that they violated Gallagher's right to a fair trial by electronically tracking email communications without a warrant. The military judge presiding over the court martial has agreed with the defence, stating that the prosecution's actions were unconstitutional and have prejudiced the case.

The finding came at the end of a two-day hearing, just 10 days before Gallagher is due to stand trial. The case has drawn significant attention from the highest levels of government, including United States President Donald Trump.

Gallagher has pleaded not guilty to all charges, including obstructing justice. If convicted, he could face life in prison. The decorated career combat veteran's fate will ultimately be decided by a military jury, but the defence team's latest move is likely to further complicate an already highly charged and controversial case.

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