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| Version 3 | Version 4 |
|---|---|
| Servicemen shot by Afghan soldier 'with a personal grievance' | Servicemen shot by Afghan soldier 'with a personal grievance' |
| (about 14 hours later) | |
| Two soldiers were gunned down by a rogue Afghan soldier with a "personal grievance" after a row at the gates of their base, an inquest has heard. | Two soldiers were gunned down by a rogue Afghan soldier with a "personal grievance" after a row at the gates of their base, an inquest has heard. |
| Sgt Luke Taylor, 33, from Bournemouth, and Burnley-born L/Cpl Michael Foley, 25, were shot dead at British forces' HQ in Helmand last March. | Sgt Luke Taylor, 33, from Bournemouth, and Burnley-born L/Cpl Michael Foley, 25, were shot dead at British forces' HQ in Helmand last March. |
| Afghan troops had been turned away prompting an angry reaction. | Afghan troops had been turned away prompting an angry reaction. |
| L/Cpl Foley was shot in the head and neck as he opened the gate and Sgt Taylor died in the ensuing firefight. | |
| He was hit in the left side of his chest with the bullet damaging his lung and aorta. | He was hit in the left side of his chest with the bullet damaging his lung and aorta. |
| The inquest in Oxford heard the Afghan was waiting outside the base with other men to collect a VIP on 26 March 2012. | The inquest in Oxford heard the Afghan was waiting outside the base with other men to collect a VIP on 26 March 2012. |
| They were not allowed to enter the base due to security arrangements and became increasingly agitated. | They were not allowed to enter the base due to security arrangements and became increasingly agitated. |
| Shortly after 10:00 a nearby gate was opened as a local interpreter was escorting a civilian from the base. | Shortly after 10:00 a nearby gate was opened as a local interpreter was escorting a civilian from the base. |
| No insurgency link | No insurgency link |
| Deputy coroner Alison Thompson said: "That opening of the gate provided an opportunity for a man with an intent." | |
| After bursting through the gate, the Afghan National Army (ANA) sergeant unloaded rounds from a machine-gun before being shot dead, the hearing heard. | |
| Ms Thompson added: "The ANA soldier was believed to be acting on his own with a personal grievance rather than with insurgents. This was a shocking, appalling, unexpected thing to happen." | |
| Maj Anthony Fyson told the inquest that the ANA sergeant had been deployed in Helmand for four years and there was "no evidence linking him to the insurgency". | |
| Speaking about the threat levels at Lashkar Gar HQ on the day of the shooting, he said all UK soldiers were "aware of the threat" from ANA soldiers. | Speaking about the threat levels at Lashkar Gar HQ on the day of the shooting, he said all UK soldiers were "aware of the threat" from ANA soldiers. |
| Security at the base has been increased following the attack. | Security at the base has been increased following the attack. |
| 'No witch-hunt' | |
| The men's widows tried to get the inquest adjourned to enable another British soldier to be called as a witness. | The men's widows tried to get the inquest adjourned to enable another British soldier to be called as a witness. |
| They wanted Cpl David Rose, who was on cover position at the gate, to answer questions about why he was seated at the time of the attack. | They wanted Cpl David Rose, who was on cover position at the gate, to answer questions about why he was seated at the time of the attack. |
| In a written statement he said he was near the gate with a full view of it. | In a written statement he said he was near the gate with a full view of it. |
| But Ms Thompson ruled against the application saying her "legal role is to ascertain how the men died" not if the deaths could have been prevented. | |
| She said, although sympathetic to the families' position, she did not want the inquest to become "a witch-hunt" where blame was cast. | |
| "It is not for me to make criticism of the soldiers and the way they operated, or attack individuals in relation to their responsibility for this tragic event." | "It is not for me to make criticism of the soldiers and the way they operated, or attack individuals in relation to their responsibility for this tragic event." |
| The coroner recorded verdicts of unlawful killing while on active service overseas. | The coroner recorded verdicts of unlawful killing while on active service overseas. |
| Royal Marine Sgt Luke Taylor and L/Cpl Foley, of the Adjutant General's Corps, were praised by their commanding officers. | Royal Marine Sgt Luke Taylor and L/Cpl Foley, of the Adjutant General's Corps, were praised by their commanding officers. |
| Speaking outside the court, L/Cpl Foley's widow, Sophie Foley, said: "I finally want to pay tribute to my beloved husband Michael. | Speaking outside the court, L/Cpl Foley's widow, Sophie Foley, said: "I finally want to pay tribute to my beloved husband Michael. |
| "I love him and I miss him so much. | "I love him and I miss him so much. |
| "I take comfort in that he lives on in our beautiful children, shining up as a star." | "I take comfort in that he lives on in our beautiful children, shining up as a star." |