Israeli Officer Accused in Girl’s Death Reportedly Freed

JERUSALEM â€”  An Israeli officer arrested for allegedly shooting to death a 13-year-old Palestinian girl in an outlawed practice known as “verifying the killâ€� was released Sunday after a witness recanted his testimony, an Israeli military official said.

A military judge ordered the release of the officer, identified only as Lt. R., after a key witness in the case recanted testimony that the suspect had fired his rifle twice into the girl’s body, the official said.

The officer was in charge of a group of soldiers who fired at Iman Hamss as she approached a military observation post near the Rafah refugee camp in the Gaza Strip on Oct. 5. The soldiers said they thought she was planting a bomb. Her family said she was on her way to school.

Then, according to an army indictment, the suspect approached the girl’s body and fired two more shots to ensure she was dead -- an illegal practice called “verifying the kill.� Palestinian doctors said that at least 15 bullets hit her.

The military official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the officer would not be returning to his former battalion but to another infantry unit. He said the judge had not dismissed the case against him but had decided Lt. R. was capable of carrying out his duties.

The suspect has maintained that he came under fire from Palestinian gunmen at least 300 yards away as he approached the girl’s body and shot at the ground to deter the fire.