Who would want to sign up these days ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Iraq War veterans may face prosecution for crimes including murder following a probe into allegations of torture and unlawful killing, the head of the unit investigating the claims has said. Mark Warwick said there were "lots of significant cases" and discussions would be held further down the line over whether they met the war-crimes threshold. UK forces withdrew from Iraq in 2009 although lawyers are continuing to refer cases to the Iraq Historic Allegations Team (Ihat), the Government-established criminal investigation into murder, abuse and torture claims linked to the six-year military mission. Mr Warwick, the former police detective in charge of Ihat, told the Independent newspaper: "There are serious allegations that we are investigating across the whole range of Ihat investigations, which incorporates homicide, where I feel there is significant evidence to be obtained to put a strong case before the Service Prosecuting Authority to prosecute and charge." He added: "Over the next 12 to 18 months, we will review all the caseload to better understand the picture and then I think we can say whether 2019 seems realistic." The multimillion-pound inquiry's workload reached 1,515 possible victims by September, of whom 280 are alleged to have been unlawfully killed. Mr Warwick said the case of Baha Mousa, an Iraqi hotel receptionist who died after being interrogated and abused by British soldiers more than a decade ago, remains "a live criminal investigation". He added: "There are lots of significant cases that we are investigating and at the appropriate time it will be a matter for us to discuss with the SPA (Service Prosecuting Authority) whether they meet the war-crimes threshold, but there are certainly serious allegations currently being investigated." Mr Warwick said not all allegations will lead to an investigation. "What's the likely outcome to be if we do a full investigation, and what's the likely penalty if we convict someone?" he said. "We would look at the credibility of the allegation in the first instance; and, when we've looked at a lot of these extra cases coming to us, some of them are duplicates of cases, some of them we've already identified as part of our own investigation process, and some are multiple allegations, where we would investigate as a single allegation." Campaigners have pushed for the pace of probe to be speeded up. Ihat's budget is set at £57.2 million, which runs until the end of 2019 - 16 years after the 2003 invasion began. Carla Ferstman, director of the human rights charity Redress, told the newspaper: "The incredibly slow pace at which Ihat is investigating allegations of criminality committed by UK soldiers against Iraqi civilians is wholly unacceptable. "Things seem to still be moving at a snail's pace. We call upon the Government to ensure Ihat can, and does, do what it was set up to do, and to do it now. This cannot be a whitewash." An MoD spokesman said: "The vast majority of UK service personnel deployed on military operations conduct themselves professionally and in accordance with the law. "The MoD takes all allegations of abuse or unlawful killing extremely seriously. "Where there is sufficient evidence, members of HM Forces can be prosecuted. It is estimated that the Ihat's work will take until the end of 2019."
Soldiers will be killed in the split second they are making their mind up about whether the enemy they are about to kill is lawful or not Going in to war with their hands tied behind their back, **** that.
Well all this is very strange. Always some **** on the soap box. It's like telling a brickie to build a house without a trowel. It wont make any ****ing difference if that ****er Corbyn get's in as he'll unilaterally scrap the armed forces anyway. Things like this make me want to vomit.
these guys are soldiers, taught to fight and kill they're not Barristers, Solicitors or Judges maybe we should send these intellectual twats out to fight and see what happens to them while they open up their books to see what's right or wrong
Really grips my sh*t that British lawyers go down this road. They don't give a monkeys about any Iraqis, they'll only be looking to see how long they can stretch this out to fill up their pension pots. As HDQ says, send them to the front line and see how long they survive doing it the nice way when the enemy don't comply to any rules let alone the Geneva convention
It's the politicians that should be in the dock. Firstly for allowing this to happen , secondly for starting a war and failing to back the troops. Shower of ****e , all 625 MPs.
Hhmm,/ yes. yes yes yes yes,, **** it, whats the point...folks dont understand... if you have never killed, you will really never understand. @Billy @roger. what is killing?
Most of these cases are about POW abuse, not battlefield action. We are British and abusing/killing POW's is what the Nazis and Isil did. Any British Soldier who is guilty of POW crime deserves all they get. I'm ex forces myself and I know for a fact that stuff like this happens. and all good squaddies feel the same way I do and have hopefully blown the whistle on bad apples like these.
you were a ****ing chef or some bolocks. wtf do you know. have you ever had to kill a person or mulitiple? i suggest you just have heard stories.
im not disputing that.....nor ould you dispute me....but i doubt this this chef.....pompey you were are chef?
I've eaten the odd ration pack. You are still missing my point. I have no beef with what happens in combat, that's kill or be killed, but when POW's are taken and in custody the Geneva convention comes into play, as a serving member of the forces you have a duty of care, to them and also to yourself and your colleagues. If you break those rules you are a war criminal, no ifs or buts. If you condone that sort of behaviour, you are no better than the terrorists we are trying to eradicate.
I served in NI, I was there during the Falklands. After it was finished I met Paras back in England, who at Goose green, after running out of ammo, killed, ripped up Argies with their bare hands, bayonets etc; To hear people tell you stuff like this is horrible enough, they actually had to do it, also they weren't afraid to admit to waking up screaming in the night. So yes I have heard stories, that are true. This is war and although it is awful, it's legal. However ALL of those guys would agree that torturing POW's is just plain wrong and deserves punishment, you just don't do it.
You weren't one of those psycho babble ****s working for the MOD were you? Had a gut full of those pricks.
There's a memorial plaque on the Bandstand in Regents park where 6 Greenjackets Bandsmen lost their lives. I did my A3 medics training with some of them about 4 months before, my friend Smithy was about the same age as me 19, he played French horn and was sat right over the bomb when it exploded. They were blown up by the IRA on the same day as the Blues and Royals mounted cavalry were attacked. I've never forgotten this day, because I was sent over from NI at the same time but me and my lot were sent up North. I remember sitting on my pit, in a TA barracks in Grantham, thinking the same as the rest of the guys although none of us said it. If you choose not to believe me well that's up to you, but I can PM you a picture of my medals and the red book they give you when you leave if you like. It's all in the loft so it might take a day or two of rummaging.
