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| Chilcot Report: Bereaved families cheer Sir John Chilcot and call Tony Blair 'the world's worst terrorist' | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Tony Blair has been called “the world’s worst terrorist” by one of the families of the 179 British servicepeople killed in Iraq, moments after they heard Sir John Chilcot finally deliver his verdict on the Iraq war. | Tony Blair has been called “the world’s worst terrorist” by one of the families of the 179 British servicepeople killed in Iraq, moments after they heard Sir John Chilcot finally deliver his verdict on the Iraq war. |
| After Sir John delivered a summary of his findings, Sarah O'Connor, whose brother Sergeant Bob O'Connor died in Iraq in 2005, fought back tears as she said: "There is one terrorist that the world needs to be aware of and his name is Tony Blair, the world's worst terrorist." | After Sir John delivered a summary of his findings, Sarah O'Connor, whose brother Sergeant Bob O'Connor died in Iraq in 2005, fought back tears as she said: "There is one terrorist that the world needs to be aware of and his name is Tony Blair, the world's worst terrorist." |
| She was speaking at a press conference called by some of the bereaved families, who had loudly applauded Sir John as he finished delivering his summary. | She was speaking at a press conference called by some of the bereaved families, who had loudly applauded Sir John as he finished delivering his summary. |
| The families made clear that they would now be considering legal action in light of the findings of the 2.6 million-word, 12-volume report – and Tony Blair would be one of their main targets. | The families made clear that they would now be considering legal action in light of the findings of the 2.6 million-word, 12-volume report – and Tony Blair would be one of their main targets. |
| Roger Bacon, whose son Matthew died when his Snatch Land Rover was hit by an IED (Improvised Explosive Device) in Basra in September 2005, announced: “After sufficient time and proper analysis of Chilcot’s report, we reserve the right to call specific parties to answer for their actions in the courts, if such a process is found to be viable.” | Roger Bacon, whose son Matthew died when his Snatch Land Rover was hit by an IED (Improvised Explosive Device) in Basra in September 2005, announced: “After sufficient time and proper analysis of Chilcot’s report, we reserve the right to call specific parties to answer for their actions in the courts, if such a process is found to be viable.” |
| Making clear that Tony Blair was now in the frame for possible legal action, Mr Bacon said: “The executive summary does not name names, so I am not in a position to say who [might face legal action] – with the exception, of course, of the former Prime Minister Tony Blair, who of course is mentioned by name, and it is quite clear that there is a lot wanting there.” | Making clear that Tony Blair was now in the frame for possible legal action, Mr Bacon said: “The executive summary does not name names, so I am not in a position to say who [might face legal action] – with the exception, of course, of the former Prime Minister Tony Blair, who of course is mentioned by name, and it is quite clear that there is a lot wanting there.” |
| Explaining that it was impossible to immediately offer specific detail on what legal action might be taken, he added: “It is impossible at this early stage to sum up the report accurately. We have had 180 minutes – a minute for each death – to digest a seven-year project.” | Explaining that it was impossible to immediately offer specific detail on what legal action might be taken, he added: “It is impossible at this early stage to sum up the report accurately. We have had 180 minutes – a minute for each death – to digest a seven-year project.” |
| He thanked Sir John for producing “such a detailed report” , and urged that its lessons were learned, so there was never again a repeat of what Mr Bacon had hours earlier described to The Independent as “a total and utter catastrophe.” | He thanked Sir John for producing “such a detailed report” , and urged that its lessons were learned, so there was never again a repeat of what Mr Bacon had hours earlier described to The Independent as “a total and utter catastrophe.” |
| Mr Bacon told the press conference: “We trust all parties will learn their lessons | Mr Bacon told the press conference: “We trust all parties will learn their lessons |
| “Government and democracy must not be trampled over, particularly with such cost to British and foreign lives.” | “Government and democracy must not be trampled over, particularly with such cost to British and foreign lives.” |
| Earlier, bereaved family members had burst into loud applause after hearing Sir John deliver a summary which included searing criticism of the failure to equip troops in Iraq properly and which stated that in the run-up to the war the alleged threat posed by Iraq was “presented with a certainty that was not justified.” | Earlier, bereaved family members had burst into loud applause after hearing Sir John deliver a summary which included searing criticism of the failure to equip troops in Iraq properly and which stated that in the run-up to the war the alleged threat posed by Iraq was “presented with a certainty that was not justified.” |
| They also heard Sir John say that "Despite explicit warnings, the consequences of the invasion were under-estimated. The planning and preparations for Iraq after Saddam Hussein were wholly inadequate. The Government failed to achieve its stated objectives." | They also heard Sir John say that "Despite explicit warnings, the consequences of the invasion were under-estimated. The planning and preparations for Iraq after Saddam Hussein were wholly inadequate. The Government failed to achieve its stated objectives." |
| Sir John said the Ministry of Defence had been "slow" to respond to the threat from insurgents' roadside bombs, resulting in delays in the supply of armoured vehicles to protect troops which "should not have been tolerated". | Sir John said the Ministry of Defence had been "slow" to respond to the threat from insurgents' roadside bombs, resulting in delays in the supply of armoured vehicles to protect troops which "should not have been tolerated". |
| This appeared to echo the comments of Mr Bacon and other bereaved families who had for years criticised the way troops were made to go out on patrol in inadequately armoured Snatch Land Rovers which they took to calling ‘mobile coffins’. | This appeared to echo the comments of Mr Bacon and other bereaved families who had for years criticised the way troops were made to go out on patrol in inadequately armoured Snatch Land Rovers which they took to calling ‘mobile coffins’. |
| Mr Bacon had told The Independent that Tony Blair had to take some responsibility for this because he had delayed military planning and equipment procurement for the war “Because he didn’t want it to be seen that he was pre-empting any UN resolution. He was manipulating the system.” | |
| The result, said Mr Bacon, was that his son died in a Snatch Land Rover with inadequate detection systems to protect against IEDs that could go through the insufficiently armoured vehicle “like a knife through butter.” | The result, said Mr Bacon, was that his son died in a Snatch Land Rover with inadequate detection systems to protect against IEDs that could go through the insufficiently armoured vehicle “like a knife through butter.” |
| Mr Bacon said: “There were 27 incidents in which a serviceman got killed by an IED while travelling in a Snatch Land Rover. The first incident had been in 2004. With Snatch Land Rovers it was like Russian roulette. | Mr Bacon said: “There were 27 incidents in which a serviceman got killed by an IED while travelling in a Snatch Land Rover. The first incident had been in 2004. With Snatch Land Rovers it was like Russian roulette. |
| “If the IED had been laid on that patrol’s route, and if the insurgents had people in place to set it off, then that vehicle was going to get hit.” | “If the IED had been laid on that patrol’s route, and if the insurgents had people in place to set it off, then that vehicle was going to get hit.” |
| Mr Bacon, a retired police officer, added that there had to be “consequences” for leaders who sent soldiers to war unnecessarily. | Mr Bacon, a retired police officer, added that there had to be “consequences” for leaders who sent soldiers to war unnecessarily. |
| “Because the consequences for the people they send is that some of them die doing the job they were told to do.” | “Because the consequences for the people they send is that some of them die doing the job they were told to do.” |
| As a result of the Chilcot Report, he added, “There has to be a basis for some kind of [legal] action, to ensure this never happens again. If not, I would say there is something terribly wrong with the political process.” | As a result of the Chilcot Report, he added, “There has to be a basis for some kind of [legal] action, to ensure this never happens again. If not, I would say there is something terribly wrong with the political process.” |
| Before the Chilcot Report was published, Mr Bacon had also told The Independent: “Most soldiers would assume that if their senior officers told them ‘You are going to be doing this’ it would be the right thing to do – that the whole campaign was the right thing to do, because the Government wouldn’t do it otherwise.” | Before the Chilcot Report was published, Mr Bacon had also told The Independent: “Most soldiers would assume that if their senior officers told them ‘You are going to be doing this’ it would be the right thing to do – that the whole campaign was the right thing to do, because the Government wouldn’t do it otherwise.” |
| Which meant, Mr Bacon said, “From our point of view, Matthew was betrayed. Because the full facts weren’t there. Blair was the one who persuaded Parliament. | Which meant, Mr Bacon said, “From our point of view, Matthew was betrayed. Because the full facts weren’t there. Blair was the one who persuaded Parliament. |
| “We were misled into believing that there were weapons of mass destruction and that the intelligence showed we needed to do something about it.” | “We were misled into believing that there were weapons of mass destruction and that the intelligence showed we needed to do something about it.” |