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| Ex-officer to face Mousa inquiry | Ex-officer to face Mousa inquiry |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| The most senior British officer to face a court martial in recent history is due to appear at the inquiry into the death of Iraqi Baha Mousa. | The most senior British officer to face a court martial in recent history is due to appear at the inquiry into the death of Iraqi Baha Mousa. |
| Mr Mousa, 26, died in Basra in 2003 while in British military custody. | Mr Mousa, 26, died in Basra in 2003 while in British military custody. |
| Colonel Jorge Mendonca was cleared of all charges relating to the case at a 2007 court martial and left the service complaining about the way was treated. | |
| But the inquiry has heard allegations he was "trigger happy" and punched an Iraqi prisoner in front of his troops. | But the inquiry has heard allegations he was "trigger happy" and punched an Iraqi prisoner in front of his troops. |
| Mr Mousa, a hotel receptionist, was found dead with 93 separate injuries after being held in the custody of the Queen's Lancashire Regiment. | Mr Mousa, a hotel receptionist, was found dead with 93 separate injuries after being held in the custody of the Queen's Lancashire Regiment. |
| BAHA MOUSA TIMELINE September 2003: Iraqi hotel worker Baha Mousa, 26, dies while in British custody in Basra, having been detained along with nine other Iraqis. He was wrongly suspected of being an insurgentSeptember 2006: Six soldiers from the Queen's Lancashire Regiment (QLR) plead not guilty at a court martial to charges relating to Mr Mousa's death, but Cpl Donald Payne, also of the QLR, pleads guilty to inhumanely treating Iraqi civilians at the start of the proceedingsMarch 2007: The six-month long hearing ends with the acquittal of the six soldiersApril 2007: Corporal Donald Payne becomes the country's first convicted war criminal as he is jailed for a year and dismissed from the Army March 2008: The Ministry of Defence (MoD) admits breaching Mr Mousa's human rightsMay 2008: The UK government announces a public inquiry into Mr Mousa's deathJuly 2008:The MoD agrees to pay out £2.83m, to be divided between the family of Mr Mousa, eight Iraqi men who were mistreated by British troops, and the brother of a 10th man who was mistreated but later died in an unrelated incidentJuly 2009: The public inquiry in Mr Mousa's death opens | BAHA MOUSA TIMELINE September 2003: Iraqi hotel worker Baha Mousa, 26, dies while in British custody in Basra, having been detained along with nine other Iraqis. He was wrongly suspected of being an insurgentSeptember 2006: Six soldiers from the Queen's Lancashire Regiment (QLR) plead not guilty at a court martial to charges relating to Mr Mousa's death, but Cpl Donald Payne, also of the QLR, pleads guilty to inhumanely treating Iraqi civilians at the start of the proceedingsMarch 2007: The six-month long hearing ends with the acquittal of the six soldiersApril 2007: Corporal Donald Payne becomes the country's first convicted war criminal as he is jailed for a year and dismissed from the Army March 2008: The Ministry of Defence (MoD) admits breaching Mr Mousa's human rightsMay 2008: The UK government announces a public inquiry into Mr Mousa's deathJuly 2008:The MoD agrees to pay out £2.83m, to be divided between the family of Mr Mousa, eight Iraqi men who were mistreated by British troops, and the brother of a 10th man who was mistreated but later died in an unrelated incidentJuly 2009: The public inquiry in Mr Mousa's death opens |
| Only one soldier, former corporal Donald Payne, has been convicted in connection with his death - he pleaded guilty at a court martial to inhumanely treating civilians. | Only one soldier, former corporal Donald Payne, has been convicted in connection with his death - he pleaded guilty at a court martial to inhumanely treating civilians. |
| However, no-one has ever been punished for causing Mr Mousa's death. | However, no-one has ever been punished for causing Mr Mousa's death. |
| Col Mendonca was commanding officer of Preston-based 1st Battalion the Queen's Lancashire Regiment (1QLR) at the time of the alleged abuse in Basra, southern Iraq, in 2003. | Col Mendonca was commanding officer of Preston-based 1st Battalion the Queen's Lancashire Regiment (1QLR) at the time of the alleged abuse in Basra, southern Iraq, in 2003. |
| He was awarded the Distinguished Service Order for his "inspirational" leadership during 1QLR's tour of duty in Iraq. | He was awarded the Distinguished Service Order for his "inspirational" leadership during 1QLR's tour of duty in Iraq. |
| He left the Army after the court martial, saying he believed he had been "hung out to dry" and made to feel like a "common criminal" by his commanders. | He left the Army after the court martial, saying he believed he had been "hung out to dry" and made to feel like a "common criminal" by his commanders. |
| Payne previously told the inquiry of an incident where he says Col Mendonca cocked his pistol, held it above a prisoner's mouth and threatened to "blow his face off". | Payne previously told the inquiry of an incident where he says Col Mendonca cocked his pistol, held it above a prisoner's mouth and threatened to "blow his face off". |
| Payne claimed Col Mendonca would "pull his pistol out at any opportunity". | Payne claimed Col Mendonca would "pull his pistol out at any opportunity". |
| Another former member of 1QLR, identified only as S038, has also alleged that he saw Col Mendonca punch an Iraqi prisoner in the side of the face. | Another former member of 1QLR, identified only as S038, has also alleged that he saw Col Mendonca punch an Iraqi prisoner in the side of the face. |
| He told the inquiry: "I was disgusted. A CO (commanding officer) is supposed to lead by example." | He told the inquiry: "I was disgusted. A CO (commanding officer) is supposed to lead by example." |
| Payne was dismissed from the Army and sentenced to one year in a civilian jail after pleading guilty to the war crime of inhumane treatment in September 2006. | Payne was dismissed from the Army and sentenced to one year in a civilian jail after pleading guilty to the war crime of inhumane treatment in September 2006. |
| The other six soldiers who faced the court martial, including Col Mendonca, were cleared on all counts in 2007. | The other six soldiers who faced the court martial, including Col Mendonca, were cleared on all counts in 2007. |
| The Ministry of Defence agreed in July 2008 to pay £2.83m in compensation to the families of Mr Mousa and nine other Iraqi men mistreated by British troops. | The Ministry of Defence agreed in July 2008 to pay £2.83m in compensation to the families of Mr Mousa and nine other Iraqi men mistreated by British troops. |