This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/uk/5399052.stm

The article has changed 12 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 3 Version 4
Iraq soldiers unlawfully killed Iraq soldiers unlawfully killed
(20 minutes later)
Two soldiers ambushed in Iraq were unlawfully killed by Iraqi military intelligence, a coroner has ruled.Two soldiers ambushed in Iraq were unlawfully killed by Iraqi military intelligence, a coroner has ruled.
The bodies of Sgt Simon Cullingworth, 36, and Sapper Luke Allsopp, 24, were found in a shallow grave outside Basra.The bodies of Sgt Simon Cullingworth, 36, and Sapper Luke Allsopp, 24, were found in a shallow grave outside Basra.
The inquest heard the men had been left "wounded but alive" after the ambush on the outskirts of the town of Al Zubayr near Basra in March 2003.The inquest heard the men had been left "wounded but alive" after the ambush on the outskirts of the town of Al Zubayr near Basra in March 2003.
They were dragged from their Land Rover to a Baath Party HQ and then to an Iraqi intelligence base.They were dragged from their Land Rover to a Baath Party HQ and then to an Iraqi intelligence base.
The men died of gunshot wounds in the Iraqi military intelligence compound.The men died of gunshot wounds in the Iraqi military intelligence compound.
They were shot and killed in that compound Coroner Andrew WalkerThey were shot and killed in that compound Coroner Andrew Walker
Coroner Andrew Walker said the route that the soldiers had taken had been the site of another ambush on British forces the day before and the danger in which they were being put should have been "anticipated".Coroner Andrew Walker said the route that the soldiers had taken had been the site of another ambush on British forces the day before and the danger in which they were being put should have been "anticipated".
Mr Walker said the "failure to adequately plan for and warn of the dangers was, in my view, a contributory factor to their deaths".Mr Walker said the "failure to adequately plan for and warn of the dangers was, in my view, a contributory factor to their deaths".
He added: "They were ambushed and taken to a temporary Baath party headquarters where evidence suggests that they were both alive.He added: "They were ambushed and taken to a temporary Baath party headquarters where evidence suggests that they were both alive.
"Staff Sgt Cullingworth administered morphine to Sapper Allsopp at some point."Staff Sgt Cullingworth administered morphine to Sapper Allsopp at some point.
"From there they were taken ostensibly to a hospital but, in fact, to an Iraqi military intelligence compound."From there they were taken ostensibly to a hospital but, in fact, to an Iraqi military intelligence compound.
"They were shot and killed in that compound.""They were shot and killed in that compound."
'Watching mob'
Sapper Allsopp, from North London, and Sgt Cullingworth, from Essex, were both in the 33 Engineer Regiment - a specialist bomb disposal unit of the Royal Engineers.
Both had died of gunshot wounds fired from at least two rifles and one pistol, the inquest heard.
Last week, the court heard photographs had been taken of the men at the compound as they had lain dying surrounded by a "watching mob".
Some of this footage was later shown on Arabic television channel al-Jazeera.
L/Cpl Marcus Clarke, who was driving the Land Rover behind when it was hit with a "hail of bullets", told the court he had heard Sgt Cullingworth shouting: "Keep up, keep up", over the radio as they had driven into the ambush.