U.K. Troops Suspected of Murdering Iraqi Civilians

Posted on Sep 12, 2010

guardian.co.uk

Said Shabram drowned after British soldiers allegedly pushed him from a jetty into a waterway near Basra.

British soldiers are suspected of murdering a number of Iraqi civilians in the wake of the 2003 invasion. But military prosecutors have resisted filing any charges, saying there is no realistic prospect of winning convictions.  —JCL

The Guardian:

British soldiers and airmen are suspected of being responsible for the murder and manslaughter of a number of Iraqi civilians in addition to the high-profile case of Baha Mousa, defence officials have admitted.

The victims include a man who was allegedly kicked to death on board an RAF helicopter, another who was shot by a soldier of the Black Watch after being involved in a traffic incident, and a 19-year-old who drowned after allegedly being pushed into a river by soldiers serving with the Royal Engineers.

Military police recommended that some of the alleged killers be put on trial for murder and manslaughter, but military prosecutors declined to do so after concluding that there was no realistic prospect of convictions. The Ministry of Defence and the Service Prosecuting Authority (SPA) have repeatedly declined to offer detailed explanations for those decisions. The MoD has also been reluctant to offer anything other than sketchy details of some of the investigations.

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