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(Raleigh, North Carolina) A group of paratroopers
from the U.S. army's 82nd Airborne Division have been moved from their regular
barracks while military officials investigate allegations they appeared on a gay
pornography website, a spokeswoman said.
The investigation is still at an early stage,
division spokeswoman Maj. Amy Hannah said in a statement. The move was prompted
by concerns for the soldiers' privacy and rights, not fears about their safety,
she said.
The 82nd Airborne acknowledged the investigation
last week (story)
but declined to say how many soldiers might have appeared on the porn site. A defense
official speaking on condition of anonymity said last week as many as
seven soldiers were involved.
The paratroopers have been allowed to seek legal
assistance but no charges have been filed, the division said.
There are no direct references on the website to
the 82nd Airborne or its home base, Fort Bragg, N.C.
The military's ``don't ask, don't tell'' policy
states: ``Homosexual orientation alone is not a bar to service but homosexual
conduct is incompatible with military service.'' Soldiers who violate the policy
are removed from the service.
The registered owner of the website's domain name
lists a street address in Fayetteville, the city that adjoins Fort Bragg.
E-mails to the registered owner were returned
Tuesday as undeliverable and the phone number listed on the domain-name
registration is no longer in service. Nevertheless, the website was active
Tuesday.
©365Gay.com 2006
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