BAGHDAD, Aug. 28 (UPI) -- The U.S. army has relieved of duty the commander of a Black Hawk helicopter that intentionally knocked down a black Shiite flag in the Sadr City neighborhood of Baghdad two weeks ago, military sources told United Press International Thursday.
The officer in command of the helicopter, who has not been identified, directed his crew to "tear the flag down" and has been relieved of duty, the source said. The pilot of the helicopter is grounded from flight until a review is conducted of his flying record. It is unlikely he will be allowed to return to flight, the source said.
The U.S. army has not officially acknowledged that the downing of the flag was a willful act and has suggested it was blown down by the powerful downwash from the helicopter.
The Aug. 14 incident set off several days of protests in the largely poor and heavily religious Sadr City. About 3,000 people almost immediately took to the streets to protest after the helicopter flew close to the communications tower on which the flag was raised. The flag was dislodged. The flight was caught on videotape and aired almost immediately on Arabic television.
U.S. soldiers who responded to the Aug. 14 demonstration say they took fire from the crowd. They returned fire, killing one and wounding four Iraqis.
The day after the demonstration, U.S. forces in a letter expressed "deep regret" for the incident. Lt. Col. Christopher Hoffman, of the 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment, wrote he was personally investigating and would punish those responsible. He also said helicopter flights would be reduced.
"There is no policy on our part to fly helicopters to communications towers to take down flags," Lt. Gen Ricardo Sanchez, commander of coalition forces in Iraq, said Aug. 14.
Sanchez announced Thursday that two personnel from the helicopter were administratively punished, meaning they faced something short of a court-martial. He did not specify what actions were taken.
Sanchez said there were two problems with the helicopter crew's actions - for safety reasons they should not have been so close to the tower, and they showed "poor judgment." He did not specify in what way.
"They got too close to the tower," Sanchez said.
Sanchez said the soldiers who fired shots during the demonstration acted "in accordance with the rules of engagement" and would not be punished. The rules of engagement allow a soldier who is fired upon to defend himself.
U.S. Central Command was not immediately available for comment.
