DISGRACED

Special Forces Soldier Charged with Premeditated Murder for Killing Afghan

Golsteyn allegedly revealed the murder during a 2011 job interview with the Central Intelligence Agency.

A U.S. Special Forces soldier has been charged with premeditated murder for his role in a shooting that took place in Afghanistan roughly nine years ago, The New York Times reports. Maj. Mathew Golsteyn, who is being charged by the Army, allegedly told the Central Intelligence Agency during a 2011 job interview that he had killed a suspected bombmaker in the Helmand Province. U.S. forces were fighting for control of the city of Marja when the incident occurred, The Times said, nothing that Task & Purpose first reported on the charge against Golsteyn. While the military began investigating the shooting following Golsteyn’s disclosure, Army officials closed the case in 2013, and they did not bring charges against the Green Beret. Golsteyn did receive a letter of reprimand, however, and officials took away his Silver Star, which is one of the “highest awards for valor." Golsteyn said in a Fox News interview three years later that he had killed this suspected bombmaker, who had been caught by U.S. soldiers with alleged bomb materials, but later released. The Army opened another investigation into the killing shortly after the November 2016 interview.

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