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Coroner attacks 'inexcusable' US Coroner attacks 'inexcusable' US
(20 minutes later)
A coroner has said it was "inexcusable" that US authorities have failed to release evidence about the first UK casualties of the Iraq war. A coroner has called it "inexcusable" that US authorities failed to release evidence about the first UK casualties of the Iraq war.
Andrew Walker was speaking at the reopening of an inquest into the fatal helicopter crash in March 2003.Andrew Walker was speaking at the reopening of an inquest into the fatal helicopter crash in March 2003.
The servicemen died along with four US marines in Kuwait.The servicemen died along with four US marines in Kuwait.
American authorities would not give evidence or provide relevant videotape to the court despite all efforts by the MoD, the coroner said.American authorities would not give evidence or provide relevant videotape to the court despite all efforts by the MoD, the coroner said.
'Strenuous attempts'
Mr Walker, Oxfordshire's Assistant Deputy Coroner, criticised US authorities for failing to provide "vital" information during the controversial Matty Hull inquest last month.
In this latest case, Mr Walker told the coroner's court he had been refused permission to use American evidence that would help his inquiry.
Mr Walker said that despite "strenuous attempts by his office and the Ministry of Defence", the US had again said it would not provide any American witnesses to give evidence at his hearing.
"We are again at the beginning of an inquest without the necessary answers to the questions from the US service personnel," he said.
He said the evidence included infrared tape taken by the air mission command aircraft which he believed held radio transmissions before and after the crash.
In addition, footage filmed by an embedded Fox News crew from Fox News was also being withheld, he added.
Fox News is owned by Rupert Murdoch - who also owns the Sun newspaper, which last month published transcripts of cockpit recordings from a US plane of a "friendly fire" attack on the British soldier Matty Hull.