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Iraq torture claims ‘utterly groundless’, Al-Sweady inquiry hears

By Sharon Black

Allegations of unlawful killing and mistreatment of prisoners by British soldiers denied by officers and troops involved Allegations that British soldiers tortured and unlawfully killed Iraqi prisoners after a firefight in 2004 are “utterly groundless” and were exploited in support of a propaganda campaign against the occupation of the country, a public inquiry heard on Monday. The killing and mistreatment claims are denied by each of the officers and men involved in that engagement, and by those involved in the capture and interrogation of Iraqis in its aftermath, Neil Garnham QC, counsel for the troops, told the inquiry. “They are denied on the basis that they are wholly untrue,” he said

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Iraqi prisoners with gunshot wounds received no pain relief, public inquiry hears

By Sharon Black

Cases of insurgents captured by the UK military after 2004 battle in south-east Iraq being heard at al-Sweady inquiry in London British military doctors failed to give any pain relief to Iraqi insurgents with gunshot wounds – although they did check their pulses and breathing before they were sent for interrogation, a public inquiry into allegations of murder and the abuse of unarmed prisoners by UK forces heard on Thursday. One man who had three bullet wounds and several shrapnel wounds to his right leg and foot says he told an army doctor that he was “in agony”, but his detention record showed that he received no analgesics.

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Iraqis captured by UK troops ‘were told they had been taken to Abu Ghraib’

By Sharon Black

Al-Sweady inquiry into allegations against British troops hears captured Iraqis were played recordings of screams to scare them Iraqis captured by British troops were told they had been taken to the notorious Abu Ghraib prison, used by Saddam Hussein and after the invasion by US forces, and said recordings of screams as though someone was being tortured were played to scare them, a public inquiry into allegations of murder and abuse of unarmed prisoners by UK forces heard on Wednesday. The prisoners alleged they were abused and humiliated after they were taken from a camp north of Basra to a British detention centre at Shaibah further south, Jonathan Acton Davis QC, counsel to the al-Sweady inquiry, said.

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Photographs may help explain Iraqi deaths, al-Sweady inquiry hears

By Sharon Black

British troops alleged to have murdered up to 20 prisoners after a fierce battle in May 2004, and tortured five other captives Photographs of dead Iraqis taken by a British army officer after a battle in the south-east of the country may be the key to establishing whether they were killed during that encounter or murdered after being taken prisoner, a public inquiry heard on Tuesday.

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Al-Sweady inquiry opens into Iraq abuse allegations

By Sharon Black

MoD rejects allegations British soldiers killed 20 unarmed civilians and abused others detained after battle north of Basra Allegations that British soldiers killed 20 unarmed civilians and abused others detained after a battle with Shia insurgents north of Basra in 2004 – the most serious allegations made against British soldiers in Iraq – are the subject of a public inquiry that opens on Monday. The al-Sweady inquiry – named after the family of Hamid, an alleged victim aged 19 – was forced on the Ministry of Defence in 2009 after high court judges accused it of “lamentable” behaviour and “serious breaches” of its duty of candour

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Rockets fired at Camp Bastion in Afghanistan

By Sharon Black

Helmand province base comes under attack, but Ministry of Defence says no casualties reported Insurgents have launched a rocket attack on the main coalition military base in Afghanistan’s Helmand province. The heavily fortified Camp Bastion, which accommodates up to 4,000 UK, American, Danish and Estonian troops, was targeted at about 6.30pm local time as darkness fell

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Military staff fear redundancy if they complain about bullying, says report

By Sharon Black

Defence select committee review urges appointment of Armed Forces Ombudsman to oversee cases of victimisation Military personnel have been deterred from making complaints about bullying and victimisation within the armed forces because of fears they will be put in the frontline for redundancy, a report warns today. The problem is another reason why the system for investigating harassment and other abuses should be overhauled and scrutinised by a new Armed Forces Ombudsman working outside the military chain of command, say MPs on the defence select committee.

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Royal Marines murder charges dropped

By Sharon Black

The pair of soldiers were among a group of five due to face accusations of killing a captured Afghan national Murder charges against two Royal Marines accused of killing a captured Afghan national have been dropped, it emerged tonight.

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Two British servicemen shot dead by rogue Afghan soldier, inquest hears

By Sharon Black

Sergeant Luke Taylor and Lance Corporal Michael Foley killed by Afghan National Army soldier with a personal grievance Two British servicemen were shot dead by a rogue Afghan soldier with a personal grievance, their inquest has heard. Sergeant Luke Taylor, 33, of the Royal Marines, and Lance Corporal Michael Foley, 25, of the Adjutant General’s Corps, were killed at their forward operating base in Lashkar Gah on 26 March last year. Their inquest in Oxford heard the Afghan was waiting outside the base with other men to collect a VIP.

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First world war commemorations ‘will be like Titanic anniversary’ – minister

By Sharon Black

WWI centenary likely to stir old controversies as Andrew Murrison says ‘Great War will be woven into everything’ The commemorations for the first world war will involve sombre reflection, proper consideration for the millions who died, and opportunities for a new generation to explore what happened and why. But focusing the world’s attention on a conflict that was supposed to have ended all wars is unlikely to pass off without controversy, as new generations question the decisions that led to millions being slaughtered. It will also stir emotions in the countries of the former British empire