News

Captain Robert Semrau is accused of killing a severely-wounded Taliban insurgent last October in the Afghanistan province of Helmand, a military court heard today as the Canadian soldier applies to be released from jail while awaiting trial on a charge of second-degree murder.

The 35-year-old army captain was commanding soldiers in the British-controlled area on Oct. 19, 2008, when the soldiers and Afghan forces were ambushed by Taliban insurgents, the military court heard from a statement issued by the Crown prosecutor.

Air support from a United States helicopter helped rout the attack and the Canadians discovered a critically-wounded insurgent after the battle was over.

The insurgent's wounds were deemed too severe to be treated in the battlefield and his rifle was taken away.

Captain Semrau was the only person standing near the wounded insurgent when two shots rang out and the enemy combatant was found dead, the court heard.

One unnamed witness has testified to military investigators they saw Captain Semrau firing at the insurgent, prosecutor Major Marylene Trudel said. She said the Crown will assert that Captain Semrau fired both shots.

The body of the insurgent was left behind and never recovered.

Captain Semrau is currently awaiting a decision on his application to be released from custody while awaiting trial. Both the defence and the Crown prosecutor have agreed that he should be released under a set of conditions.