No arrest for soldier's killers

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The killers of six UK military police officers in Iraq will never be brought to justice, the father of one of the dead men has said.

Reg Keys, who lost his son Tom in the attack in 2003, said after a meeting with Defence Secretary Des Browne that the killers would never be arrested.

Mr Keys, from Solihull, blamed red tape over capital punishment for allowing the culprits to escape justice.

He said he would now give up his campaign to catch the killers.

The military policemen were killed in a police station in Majar al-Kabir after being surrounded by more than 400 protesting Iraqis.

The men killed in June 2003 were: Sgt Simon Hamilton-Jewell, 41, from Chessington, Surrey; Cpl Russell Aston, 30, from Swadlincote, Derbyshire; Cpl Paul Long, 24, of Tyne and Wear; L/Cpl Benjamin McGowan Hyde, 23, from Northallerton, North Yorkshire; L/Cpl Tom Keys, 20, from Bala, north Wales; and Cpl Simon Miller, 21, from Tyne and Wear.

Arrest warrants

The families of six Red Caps killed by a mob in Iraq met Defence Secretary Des Browne to ask about delays in arresting their killers.

The families said before the meeting they had been told the delay was caused by a lack of co-operation from British commanders.

A Ministry of Defence spokesman said it could not comment on a private meeting but confirmed it took place on Monday.

The military policemen were killed in a police station after being surrounded by more than 400 protesting Iraqis.

Mr Keys, from Solihull, West Midlands, said prior to the meeting: "We are going to ask Mr Browne if he is going to arrest the killers or not and if not, why not.

"Let's put an end to this."

Last February, a court in Baghdad issued arrest warrants for eight suspects but nobody has yet been detained.

An inquest into the men's deaths found they could have been better equipped but their deaths could not have been avoided.