The fathers of the three American Green Berets killed in Jordan last year are calling on the White House to "take a hard look" at the alliance between the US and Jordan after seeing a surveillance video they say shows their sons being murdered.
Sgt. 1st Class Matthew Lewellen, Staff Sgt. Kevin McEnroe and Staff Sgt. James Moriarty were approaching a security checkpoint at a Jordanian air base where they were training local troops on Nov. 4 when they were shot by a Jordanian military officer.
The Jordanian government has called it a tragic mistake and said the shooter, who was wounded after, was following the rules of engagement after one of the US soldiers accidentally fired his weapon in the vehicle.
But Chuck Lewellen, Brian McEnroe and James Moriarty, who were briefed by the FBI last week, told reporters they were shown surveillance video of the attack that proves that their sons' murders were no accident, that a weapon was never discharged, and that the Jordanian government is at fault for perpetuating these "false narratives."
"Jordan is at the very least guilty of complicity in the murder of three American brave service men. I guess based on their behavior, the Jordanians believed that our sons were expendable and I can promise you that they weren't expendable to us or our families," McEnroe said.
"I encourage our president and our administration to take a hard look at our relationship with an ally who would so callously disrespect the sacrifice made by our boys," he continued.
Two of the Green Berets — Lewellen and McEnroe — were "ambushed" by the foreign officer with an M-16. The soldiers were still in their vehicle at the checkpoint they had been using every day during their deployment and died almost instantly, Lewellen said. But the Jordanian officer then left his guard shack to pursue Moriarty, who had left the vehicle and can be seen in the video raising his hands above his head to show he's not a threat, his father said.
There is no sound on the surveillance video, but another Green Beret who survived the attack also told Moriarty that his son had told the shooter "We are American, we are friends" in Arabic before he was shot.
Moriarty, countering the narrative that the killing happened in a fog-of-war combat situation, said there were about seven minutes between when the first shots were fired and when his son was killed, according to the surveillance video.
When asked about a motive behind the shooting, he said the Jordanian could have gone crazy, could have been radicalized by a terrorist group or was acting under orders from the Jordanian government. Moriarty said there is no evidence to support the first two explanations.
"The government of Jordan began its lies to the world while my son's body was still warm,' he said.
Defense Secretary Jim Mattis saw this video on Friday, but no one at the White House has viewed it, Moriarty said.
The shooter is in a medically-induced coma, said Rep. Ted Poe, R-Texas.
Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, D-Hawaii, said the incident further highlights the need for Congress to pass the Stop Arming Terrorists Act, which would prohibit the US from giving funds or equipment to terrorist groups or individuals affiliated with them.
"Your sons gave everything," she said. "They deserve more and they deserve better."
The Army 15-6 investigation into the incident corroborates the fathers' timeline of events. The convoy was returning from conducting a training exercise at a range about three miles away from the air base. The US vehicles "followed standard operating procedures" for entering the base, according to the report.
As the vehicle with the three men approached, the report said Cpl. Al-Tawayha fired "numerous shots" with his M-16 through the windshield of the vehicle, killing Lewellen and McEnroe. The behavior of other guards at the checkpoint suggested that they had no knowledge of Al-Tawyaha's plan for the attack.
After exiting their vehicle and taking cover behind a cement barrier, Moriarty and the survivor of the attack "waved their arms in the air to gesture that they were friendly," the report found. The shooter was eventually taken down by the survivor of the attack when Moriarty stood and shot directly at Al-Tawayha with a pistol, allowing the surviving Green Beret to maneuver to the shooter's side and hit him where the body armor could not cover.
Moriarty and the other Green Beret's actions "demonstrated valorous conduct and extraordinary heroism in fighting and remaining with teammates while engaging a force that was better armed and equipped," the report said.
The video of the attack is being withheld due to an FBI investigation.
SEE ALSO: The 3 elite Green Berets killed in Jordan earlier this month were working for the CIA
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