U.S. military skeptical of burning-pilot video

BAGHDAD, Iraq — The camera panned over bloodstained debris, then showed several men dragging the burning body of a man across a field as they shouted "Allahu Akbar," or "God is Great!"

As flames leaped from the soldier's tattered uniform, voices could be heard in the background shouting, "Come, come, help me carry it!"

The body's face was not visible, but the camera zoomed in on what appeared to be his waistline, which showed a scrap of underwear with the brand name "Hanes." It appeared the man was wearing digital camouflage fatigues, which are worn by U.S. troops in Iraq.

The horrific video was posted Wednesday on the Web by a new al-Qaida-affiliated group that claimed responsibility for downing the AH-64D Apache Longbow last Saturday near Youssifiyah about 12 miles southwest of Baghdad, killing the two pilots.

A U.S. statement said troops had recovered "all available remains" though "reports of a Web site video suggest that terrorists removed part of a body from the crash site." The military expressed outrage over the release of "such a despicable video for public exposure" and said it had serious doubts that the footage was authentic.

The flaming wreckage of a helicopter could be seen clearly in the video, including outlines of the aircraft's blades and jagged pieces of wreckage strewn over a field.

But the time stamp that shows the minutes and seconds do not run sequentially, and the scenes appear disjointed. The posting also included bombing scenes filmed elsewhere.

Lt. Col. Barry Johnson, a spokesman for the command, said the wreckage shown on the video "does appear to be an AH-64" but added that other helicopters of that type have been lost.

"We have serious doubts about the authenticity of this video, a common tactic we see terrorist groups use to keep the stories they want alive in the media," he said.

It was the second Apache to crash in Iraq this year. On Jan. 16, an AH-64 Apache conducting a combat air patrol went down in Mishada, north of Baghdad, killing two soldiers. At least 12 Apaches have crashed since the beginning of the war in 2003.

U.S. officials first reported Saturday that an American helicopter had crashed that day during a combat patrol southwest of the capital and that the status of the crew was unknown. Ordinarily, U.S. officials refrain from reporting helicopter crashes until the status of the crew is clear to avoid tipping off the insurgents that wounded survivors may be in the area.

Late the next day, the U.S. command confirmed that helicopter was an Apache and that the two crew members were "presumed dead," suggesting the remains had not been found. Later the same day, U.S. authorities said the bodies had been recovered.

On Wednesday, the military identified the pilots killed as Capt. Timothy J. Moshier, 25, of Albany, N.Y., and Chief Warrant Officer 3 Michael L. Hartwick, of Orrick, Mo.

The video was e-mailed to reporters and posted on an Islamist Web site by the Mujahedeen Shura Council, purportedly a new umbrella organization that includes insurgents calling themselves members of al-Qaida.