A US military jury has sentenced an army sergeant to death for killing two officers in a grenade and rifle attack on his comrades in Kuwait two years ago.
Sergeant Hasan Akbar, a former member of the 101st Airborne Division, was found guilty a week ago on two counts of premeditated murder and three counts of attempted premeditated murder after a trial at Fort Bragg, North Carolina.
The trial is subject to review by a high ranking military officer, who could approve the sentence or reduce it, officials said. After that review, the case will be automatically appealed to higher US military courts.
The charges stemmed from a nighttime attack at Camp Pennsylvania in Kuwait on March 23rd, 2003, as 101st Airborne soldiers awaited orders to move into Iraq at the start of the war.
Sgt Akbar was accused of rolling grenades into soldiers' tents and firing a rifle at those who emerged.
Two were killed and 14 others were wounded.
Sgt Akbar's mother and military lawyers said he snapped in the face of relentless ridicule of his Muslim faith and harassment by fellow soldiers, according to a published report.