Pictures released of marine on patrol that ended in Taliban fighter’s murder
Images from video show Sergeant Alexander Wayne Blackman before he shot dead suspected insurgent
These are the first pictures showing the Royal Marine on the patrol that culminated in him murdering an injured Taliban prisoner.
They are taken from a video that recorded the marine shooting the suspected insurgent in the chest before telling him: “There you are, shuffle off this mortal coil, you cunt. It’s nothing you wouldn’t do to us.”
The images were released after the high court ruled that the highly experienced marine can be named as Sergeant Alexander Wayne Blackman, 39.
His identity was kept secret during his court martial and was only revealed after a year-long legal battle by the Guardian and other media organisations. Blackman will face life imprisonment when he is sentenced for murder at Bulford military court centre in Wiltshire. Lawyers for the marine will argue that his excellent service record and the pressure he was under when he opened fire on an injured insurgent should be taken into consideration when setting the minimum term he will face.
Arrangements are already under way to offer him protection in the civilian prison he will serve his sentence in because of the high-profile and sensitive nature of his offence. Measures have also been taken to protect his wife and family from revenge attacks.
The video of the incident in September 2011 came from a head camera worn by one of the other marines on the patrol and came to light by chance when military investigators were looking into an unrelated case.
It has not been released by the court because the government has argued it would be an ideal recruiting tool for Islamist terrorists groups and could prompt a “lone wolf” to attack British forces or civilians. But the court has agreed to release some stills – though not ones that show Blackman discharging is pistol. The identities of four other marines who were on the patrol, including two who stood trial alongside Blackman but were acquitted, remain protected.
Blackman is the first member of the British armed forces to be convicted of murder during an overseas operation since at least the second world war.
