Militants likely captured soldiers alive: "WASHINGTON - The two American soldiers whose mutilated bodies were recovered earlier this week near Baghdad were likely captured alive, though possibly wounded, after an attack and were killed later by insurgents after a hasty trial, military officers familiar with an investigation said Friday.The other soldier that they so callously refer to was Pfc. Thomas L. Tucker.by the way...well known info that for some inexplicable reason is left out of a story written today?
Evidence gathered so far indicates that Pfc. Kristian Menchaca, 23, of Houston, and another soldier survived a firefight June 16 and were taken by insurgents to a hideout in the area.
There they were tried by a hurriedly convened Islamic court and killed, execution-style, according to an officer familiar with the Army inquiry in Iraq." skip aheadThe military has delayed issuing a report about the capture of Menchaca and Pfc. Thomas Tucker, 25, of Madras, Ore., in part to withhold details that, upon release, may jeopardize the intense manhunt under way for the killers.
"We are on the hunt for the people who did this. There are good leads we are following up on," said Lt. Col. Michelle Martin-Hing, a spokeswoman for the military command in Baghdad.
The remainder (more) of the interesting article discusses the families' disappointment that these soldiers seem to have been left in a compromising postion that may have encouraged their abduction and killing. If that is indeed the case hopefully the protocol will be adjusted by the commanders and officers to assure that this doesn't happen again to any more of our bravest.