Funeral held for Mi'kmaq soldier killed in Iraq

Funeral held for Mi'kmaq soldier killed in Iraq
Updated Thu. Nov. 9 2006 10:59 PM ET

Canadian Press

FREDERICTON -- The mother of a Canadian killed while on military duty in Iraq hugged the folded U.S. flag she was handed Thursday after it was removed from her son's coffin.

Tucked inside the flag were three spent rifle shells from volleys fired in Michael Seeley's honour during his burial in a cemetery overlooking the Saint John River.

The shells stand for duty, honour and country.

"The last shell was for country and I thought to myself there probably should have been two because he had two countries,'' said Theresa Seeley.

"He is peaceful. He fought for what he believed in. He did what he wanted to do. I'm really proud of him. There's nothing else I can say.''

Seeley, 27, a member of the Mi'Kmaq First Nation, was killed in a bomb attack on Oct. 30 while on duty with the U.S. Army in Iraq.

He was one of more than a dozen Canadian aboriginals serving with U.S. forces in Iraq.

Seeley's funeral service honoured his aboriginal origins and his love of military service.

Since Canadian aboriginals are considered citizens of North America, there is a long-standing tradition of First Nations people crossing the border to join the U.S. military.

"Why do our people serve in the U.S. military? I think because we can,'' said G. Wayne Brooks from the St. Mary's First Nation in Fredericton.

"I think it represents a chance for adventure and travel.''

Brooks handed out tobacco, which was sprinkled on Seeley's casket as an offering to his ancestors in the spirit world.

Seeley was the second Canadian-born soldier to die in Iraq in October, one of the worst months for U.S. military losses since the conflict began in 2003. Marine Sgt. Jonathan J. Simpson, a dual Canadian and U.S. citizen, was killed in Iraq during combat operations on Oct. 14 and buried in Quebec, where he was born.

Seeley, a sergeant, was killed south of Baghdad when a bomb went off near his vehicle.

His mother said military investigators have arrested a woman in connection with the insurgent attack. She said she has been told the woman will stand trial. "You don't picture a woman doing something like this," Seeley said.

"My image of a woman is of a mother or a sister. How could this woman inflict such suffering on someone?"

Seeley, who graduated from Fredericton High School, served with Canadian reserve forces before crossing to the United States to join the U.S. Marine Corps.

Following his time with the Marines, which included service in Iraq and Korea, he signed up with the U.S. Army and headed back to Iraq for a second tour of duty.

He was killed just a couple of days before he was due to leave the war-torn country.<>