This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/int/news/-/news/uk-13473534
The article has changed 6 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Afghan shooting: Soldiers were 'unlawfully killed' | Afghan shooting: Soldiers were 'unlawfully killed' |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| Verdicts of unlawful killing have been recorded on five British soldiers who were shot and killed by a rogue Afghan policeman in 2009. | Verdicts of unlawful killing have been recorded on five British soldiers who were shot and killed by a rogue Afghan policeman in 2009. |
| But the Wiltshire and Swindon coroner David Ridley said the government had not failed in its duty to "avoid risk". | But the Wiltshire and Swindon coroner David Ridley said the government had not failed in its duty to "avoid risk". |
| Concerns had been raised before the attack over the behaviour of the gunman, who later fled a checkpoint in Helmand province's Nad Ali region. | Concerns had been raised before the attack over the behaviour of the gunman, who later fled a checkpoint in Helmand province's Nad Ali region. |
| The gunman, named only as Gulbuddin, escaped afterwards. | The gunman, named only as Gulbuddin, escaped afterwards. |
| Brigadier James Cowan, the then senior commander in Helmand, told the inquest the deaths had been shocking but had given him enough leverage to get the authorities to reform the Afghan National Police (ANP). | Brigadier James Cowan, the then senior commander in Helmand, told the inquest the deaths had been shocking but had given him enough leverage to get the authorities to reform the Afghan National Police (ANP). |
| Three of the soldiers killed were Grenadier Guards - Warrant Officer Class 1 Darren Chant, 40, from Camberley, Surrey, Sergeant Matthew Telford, 37, and Guardsman Jimmy Major, 18, both from Grimsby, north Lincolnshire. | |
| The other two killed were Royal Military Police - Corporal Steven Boote, 22, from Birkenhead, Merseyside, and Corporal Nicholas Webster-Smith, 24, from Brackley, Northamptonshire. | |
| Six British soldiers and two Afghan policemen were wounded when Gulbuddin opened up with an AK-47 machine gun. | |
| The coroner had been asked to make a ruling about whether the soldiers' rights under Article 2 of the European Convention on Human Rights had been breached. | The coroner had been asked to make a ruling about whether the soldiers' rights under Article 2 of the European Convention on Human Rights had been breached. |
| The article gives an obligation on the UK to protect life but Mr Ridley ruled that the UK had not failed because W01 Chant had not had "effective control" of the checkpoint. | The article gives an obligation on the UK to protect life but Mr Ridley ruled that the UK had not failed because W01 Chant had not had "effective control" of the checkpoint. |
| Cpl Webster-Smith's family said he had been "murdered" and in a statement after the inquest added: "We remain convinced this was not an isolated incident by a lone gunman but a co-ordinated attack by the Taliban." | Cpl Webster-Smith's family said he had been "murdered" and in a statement after the inquest added: "We remain convinced this was not an isolated incident by a lone gunman but a co-ordinated attack by the Taliban." |
| "As a family, we hope that lessons have been learned and that the questions raised at this inquest will be acted upon," they added. | |
| 'Rotten to the core' | 'Rotten to the core' |
| Cpl Boote's mother, Margaret Boote, and his girlfriend, Emma Murray, made a statement afterwards in which they said: "We are convinced that the investigation has been thorough and we have had all of our questions answered. | Cpl Boote's mother, Margaret Boote, and his girlfriend, Emma Murray, made a statement afterwards in which they said: "We are convinced that the investigation has been thorough and we have had all of our questions answered. |
| "The only person to blame for Steven's death is the rogue Afghan National Policeman who committed this cowardly act and we still won't know what motivated him but we would now like to be left alone to grieve in peace." | "The only person to blame for Steven's death is the rogue Afghan National Policeman who committed this cowardly act and we still won't know what motivated him but we would now like to be left alone to grieve in peace." |
| The coroner said it was known there were problems with the ANP and Lieutenant-Colonel Charles Walker had described them as "rotten to the core". | The coroner said it was known there were problems with the ANP and Lieutenant-Colonel Charles Walker had described them as "rotten to the core". |
| The ANP were poorly paid and many smoked opium and cannabis, were insubordinate and ill-disciplined and would often swear at the British soldiers, the inquest heard. | The ANP were poorly paid and many smoked opium and cannabis, were insubordinate and ill-disciplined and would often swear at the British soldiers, the inquest heard. |
| Strange behaviour | Strange behaviour |
| The inquest heard Gulbuddin was known as "Errol Flynn" or "Pretty Boy" by the British troops because of his moustache and camp behaviour. | The inquest heard Gulbuddin was known as "Errol Flynn" or "Pretty Boy" by the British troops because of his moustache and camp behaviour. |
| In the weeks before the shootings he had touched the bottoms of several soldiers and grabbed one in a headlock. | In the weeks before the shootings he had touched the bottoms of several soldiers and grabbed one in a headlock. |
| The inquest heard he was in a "strop" on the day of the shootings, having been told off for not wearing his police-issue hat. | The inquest heard he was in a "strop" on the day of the shootings, having been told off for not wearing his police-issue hat. |
| He said WO1 Chant had raised concerns about Gulbuddin's behaviour, discipline and drug taking before the attack. | He said WO1 Chant had raised concerns about Gulbuddin's behaviour, discipline and drug taking before the attack. |
| Mr Ridley said WO1 Chant discussed these issues with the ANP commander before the attack and was told they would be addressed. | Mr Ridley said WO1 Chant discussed these issues with the ANP commander before the attack and was told they would be addressed. |
| The coroner says WO1 Chant was highly regarded and if he had not been killed he would have been considered for the top sergeant major position in the British Army at Sandhurst. | The coroner says WO1 Chant was highly regarded and if he had not been killed he would have been considered for the top sergeant major position in the British Army at Sandhurst. |
| The coroner said there was no real way of knowing the motivation for the attack. | |
| Lance Corporal Liam Culverhouse, who was blinded in one eye, "played dead" after being shot in the face, arms and legs. | |
| He said: "All I heard was a rifle going off in automatic bursts and Gulbuddin shouting something that was like a war cry. | |
| "All I could hear was gunfire, scream, gunfire, scream, gunfire, scream, and then it all stopped." |