[wvns] IRAQ: ARMY SOLDIER HANGED
Criminal investigation under way in Iraq death of Brigantine man's son
IRAQ: ARMY SOLDIER HANGED, MOM SAYS
Elaine Rose
Press of Atlantic City,
http://www.pressofatlanticcity.com/top_three/v-printer/story/7483913p-7378860c.html
BRIGANTINE — The May 6 death of Sgt. Sameer Rateb in Iraq has become a
criminal investigation, the U.S. Army confirmed Wednesday.
The Criminal Investigation Division at Fort Bragg, N.C., is looking
into the death of Rateb, 22, who died of what the military called "a
non-combat related incident" at Forward Operating Base Summerall in
Bayji, Iraq, said Shannon Wright, public information officer for the
82nd Airborne Division. According to its Web site, the CID's mission
is the "conduct of criminal investigations in which the Army is, or
may be, a party of interest."
Rateb spent part of his childhood in Brigantine and played on the
city's traveling Little League team before moving to Middlesex County
as a teenager. His father, Mohamed Rateb, still lives in Brigantine.
Rateb's mother, Elizabeth Howell, of Summerville, S.C., said Wednesday
night that her son was found hanged the day he was supposed to leave
Iraq to come home for a visit with his family.
The Army originally said his death was a suicide, "but the way they
found him, his hands were cuffed behind his back, that's not suicide.
To me, it's not," Howell said.
The Army is keeping the family updated on the progress in the
investigation, but it's a real mystery, Howell said. It could take as
long as 18 months to determine exactly what happened.
"When he left here, I was really worried, but the way he died was the
last thing I expected," Howell said.
She would be more understanding if Rateb had died on patrol or in
combat, "because that's what Sam loved to do," Howell said. "This is
unbelievable."
Exactly what happened the morning of May 6 is a mystery, but Howell
said she didn't think her son's comrades in arms could be responsible.
Rateb had been with same unit since he got out of boot camp, Howell
said. He fought with them in Afghanistan for three months, came home
for a while, and then the unit was deployed to Iraq in September.
Howell said she last talked to her son in October, when he called to
wish her happy birthday. Rateb usually spoke to his wife, who would
relay the messages to her, Howell said. He called his stepfather April
18 and said he was doing well.
It is hard to believe Rateb committed suicide, Howell said. He talked
to a friend the day before he died, and the friend said he showed no
signs of depression and was looking forward to coming home.
Army investigators first started questioning Rateb's family and
friends the week after his May 16 funeral in South Carolina, Howell
said. But it will probably be some time before they come up with any
answers.
"It takes time to sift through everything," she said.
Mohamed Rateb could not be reached for comment Wednesday.
To e-mail Elaine Rose at The Press:
ERose @ pressofac.com
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