US army authorities postponed Monday a hearing into one soldier's role in the reported execution of Afghan civilians, but will go ahead Tuesday with the alleged ringleader's case.

A military investigator had been due to hear testimony about Corporal Emmitt Quintal, 22, a day ahead of hearings into Staff Sergeant Calvin R. Gibbs' role in an alleged rogue US army unit in southern Afghanistan.

But Quintal's case was postponed until November 30, according to a spokeswoman at the Joint Base Lewis-McChord base south of Seattle in the northwestern state of Washington, giving no explanation.

Gibbs is accused of playing the leading role in a unit which allegedly executed civilians, mutilated the corpses, then beat another soldier for blowing the whistle.

One soldier has already been ordered to face court martial.

Prosecutors say that Gibbs, 26, led four other soldiers in killing Afghan people for sport over several months this year in southern Kandahar province.

The Washington Post has reported that other members of his unit fingered Gibbs as the man who came up with the idea of randomly targeting Afghan civilians for slaughter.

In January this year Gibbs is alleged to have killed an Afghan man by throwing a grenade at him and shooting him with a rifle, according to charging documents released by the Army.

In September prosecutors also accused Gibbs of taking trophies from the victims, including finger and leg bones, and a tooth.

Altogether, Gibbs faces three counts of premeditated murder, along with related charges, including conspiracy to commit murder, impeding an investigation, and dereliction of duty.

In September, the Army held a similar hearing for Specialist Jeremy Morlock, 22, of Wasilla, Alaska, who also stands accused of murder. The investigating officer announced in mid-October that Morlock would face a full court martial.

The soldiers were all members of the Bravo Company, 2nd Battalion, 1st Infantry Regiment, from the 2nd Infantry Division's Stryker brigade, at Forward Operating Base Ramrod, in southern Kandahar province.

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