A US Navy Seal testifying at the war crimes trial of Special Operations Chief Edward Gallagher has said he was behind the death of an Iraqi teenager.
Special Operator 1st Class Corey Scott stunned the San Diego courtroom when he said he asphyxiated the wounded Islamic State (IS) militant.
Chief Gallagher is accused of stabbing to death the injured captive as well as randomly shooting Iraqi civilians.
He has pleaded not guilty and denied all the allegations against him.
Mr Scott, a combat medic, was given immunity in exchange for his testimony.
The Navy Seal said that he witnessed Mr Gallagher unexpectedly begin stabbing the teenaged fighter after the two men had stabilised his injuries following an airstrike, but that the stab wounds did not appear to be life-threatening.
When the chief walked away, Mr Scott said he plugged the youth's air tube as an act of mercy.
Mr Scott said the injured victim may have survived the stabbing, but he decided to plug his air tube with his thumb in the belief that he would be tortured by Iraqi forces if he survived.
“I knew he was going…
