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November 11, 2011

Alleged Afghan "Kill Team" Leader Found Guilty, Avoids Life Term 
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A U.S. Army sergeant has been convicted of leading a so-called "kill
team" in Afghanistan that murdered civilians and then kept their body
parts for sport. Staff Sgt. Calvin Gibbs has admitted to cutting the
fingers off dead Afghan civilians as war trophies. Other soldiers have
said it was his idea to kill civilians and stage their deaths to make
them appear to have been combatants. Despite being found guilty on all
15 counts — including premeditated murder — Gibbs avoided an
automatic life sentence and will be eligible for parole after 8.5 years
behind bars.



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