Criminal charges have been brought against two U.S. Air Force pilots responsible for the friendly fire bombing of Canadians in Afghanistan in April 2002.

Four Canadian soldiers were killed and eight others injured when a U.S. F-16 fighter jet dropped a bomb on the Canadian soldiers who were on a nighttime ground training exercise near Kandahar.

Major Harry Schmidt, the pilot who dropped the bomb, is charged with

• four counts of involuntary manslaughter
• eight counts of assault
• failing to exercise appropriate flight discipline
• not complying with the rules of engagement in the area of operations

Major William Umbach, Schmidt's wingman and flight leader, is charged with

• four counts of aiding and abetting manslaughter
• eight counts of aiding and abetting assault
• negligently failing to exercise appropriate flight command and control
• failing to ensure compliance with the rules of engagement

The two pilots now face a military justice article 32 proceeding, similar to a U.S. Grand Jury proceeding. The results could send them to court martial.

The charges came as the full final reports of both the Canadian Board of Inquiry and the U.S. Central Command Investigation reports were released. The reports expand on the summaries released in June 2002.

• Canadian Board of Inquiry Report into Friendly Fire Incident
• Press Release on U.S.Central Command Investigation Report into Friendly Fire Incident

As well as recommending that criminal charges be brought against the two pilots found directly responsible for the friendly fire bombing, the U.S. report recommended that Colonel David C. Nichols, the pilots' commanding officer, should be disciplined.

The four Canadian soldiers killed were members of Edmonton's 3rd Battalion of Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry Battle Group (3 PPCLI).

• Sgt. Marc D. Leger, 29, Lancaster, Ontario
• Cpl. Ainsworth Dyer, 24, Montreal, Quebec and Toronto, Ontario
• Pte. Richard Green, 21, Mill Cove, Nova Scotia
• Pte. Nathan Smith, 27, Tatamagouche, Nova Scotia