Akbar's attack blamed for slowing unit

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FORT BRAGG, N.C. (AP) -- A sergeant's attack on his own colleagues in the 101st Airborne Division in Kuwait sidelined key personnel that the unit needed for its assignment in the invasion of Iraq, a commander testified yesterday.

"Everybody knew this would be a big fight," Col. Ben Hodges testified yesterday at a sentencing hearing for Sgt. Hasan Akbar, who was convicted in a grenade and rifle attack that killed two service members and wounded 14. "I never dreamed my first casualties would occur inside Camp Pennsylvania, and they would be caused by one of my own soldiers."

Col. Hodges commanded the 101st's 1st Brigade Combat Team and was among those wounded in Akbar's attack. He testified for the prosecution, which is seeking a death sentence for Akbar, 34.

Col. Hodges, who suffered a minor shrapnel wound, was the first witness called by prosecutors, who opted not to make an opening statement in the sentencing phase.

"I took it personal that I'd lost -- I don't want to be overdramatic about it -- two of my guys," he said of the deaths of Army Capt. Christopher Scott Seifert, 27, and Air Force Maj. Gregory Stone, 40.

Col. Hodges said Akbar's attack took out of action key personnel responsible for planning troop movements. He said that resulted in the brigade being slow to isolate the city of Najaf, allowing some Iraqi soldiers to escape.

"I lost three or four positions that were the worst possible ones we could have lost," Col. Hodges said.

Akbar, who is a Muslim and said he wanted to prevent U.S. forces from killing other Muslims, was convicted last week by the unanimous vote of a 15-person jury, which found him guilty of two counts of premeditated murder and three counts of attempted murder.

After jurors hear from prosecution witnesses, the defense is likely to call witnesses and then the jury will retire to ponder Akbar's fate for a second time. He could face the death penalty.

Akbar's father, John Akbar of Seattle, said outside the court building that he went to church over the weekend and prayed that his son's life would be spared.

The father is expected to testify for the defense.

Before the start of testimony yesterday, the military judge overseeing the case said he would not allow prosecutors to introduce evidence of a fight that Akbar had with a military police officer in the court building last month.

Akbar secreted a weapon in an office and stabbed the MP in the neck while in the restroom, but the judge said the "opportunistic stabbing" didn't show a pattern of violence.

The defense has said Akbar carried out the attack but was too mentally ill to have premeditated it -- a necessary condition for a death sentence.

On the prosecution side, troops wounded in the late-night ambush were expected to describe in more detail how they felt emotionally and physically during the attack the night of March 22, 2003 at Camp Pennsylvania in Kuwait. The troops were getting ready to join in the invasion of Iraq, which had begun March 20.