HUMAN ERROR CAUSED IRAQ COPTER TRAGEDY

The Pentagon says "multiple human error" caused the friendly-fire downing of two U.S. helicopters after American AWACS jets mistook them for Iraqi choppers April 14. The Defense Department acknowledged that two F-15pilots were given the go-ahead to attack by controllers aboard an AWACS radar plane, even though air-control personnel were apparently aware the helicopters were not hostile. The pilots, both unidentified, will also be held partly responsible for not following guidelines and could face courts-martial. The accident killed 26 people -- 15 American military officers, the remainder from Britain, Turkey and France.parpar