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Al-Sweady Inquiry: UK army murder claims 'deliberate lies' Al-Sweady Inquiry: UK army murder claims 'deliberate lies'
(about 1 hour later)
Allegations of murder and torture made against British soldiers by Iraqi detainees were "deliberate lies", a public inquiry has ruled. Allegations of murder and torture made against British soldiers by Iraqi detainees were "deliberate lies", a five-year public inquiry has ruled.
The Al-Sweady Inquiry found claims that up to 20 Iraqis were killed and mutilated after a 2004 battle were "reckless speculation". The £31m Al-Sweady Inquiry found claims that up to 20 Iraqis were killed and mutilated after a 2004 battle were "reckless speculation".
The allegations had been withdrawn from the inquiry earlier this year. The murder allegations were withdrawn from the inquiry earlier this year.
Defence Secretary Michael Fallon said most of the allegations against British soldiers were "entirely without merit". The report also found British soldiers mistreated nine Iraqi detainees, but it was not deliberate ill treatment.
Inquiry chairman Sir Thayne Forbes said some aspects of how the detainees had been treated did amount to ill treatment, but it was not deliberate ill treatment. Defence Secretary Michael Fallon said the inquiry "puts to rest once and for all these shocking and, as we now know, completely baseless allegations".
The "most serious allegations" which "have been hanging over these soldiers for the past 10 years" have been found to be "without foundation," he said. Inquiry chairman Sir Thayne Forbes said the "most serious allegations" which "have been hanging over these soldiers for the past 10 years" have been found to be "without foundation."
To date the inquiry - set up in 2009 - has cost more than £24m. A Number 10 spokesman said: "Where there are allegations of mistreatment, it is right and proper we look into and learn lessons from the past".
Mr Fallon said the inquiry - set up in 2009 - has cost the taxpayer £31m.
'Exemplary courage''Exemplary courage'
Sir Thayne said detainees who alleged they were tortured and abused - and subjected to mock executions - had given evidence that was "unprincipled in the extreme" and "wholly without regard to the truth".
The hearing took evidence about the actions of soldiers from the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders and the Princess of Wales Royal Regiment, who were ambushed by insurgents, leading to a three-hour gun battle that became known as the Battle of Danny Boy.The hearing took evidence about the actions of soldiers from the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders and the Princess of Wales Royal Regiment, who were ambushed by insurgents, leading to a three-hour gun battle that became known as the Battle of Danny Boy.
The report found that soldiers responded to the ambush with "exemplary courage, resolution and professionalism". Sir Thayne, a former High Court judge, found there had been instances of ill-treatment during "tactical questioning" of the detainees at Camp Abu Naji, near Majar-al-Kabir in southern Iraq, on the night of 14 May.
It said that the conduct of some individual soldiers and some of the procedures of the military "fell below the high standards normally to be expected of the British army". These included blindfolding the prisoners, depriving them of food and sleep and using threatening interrogation techniques contrary to the Geneva Convention.
The report found that: But Sir Thayne said Iraqi detainees who alleged they were tortured and abused - and subjected to mock executions - had given evidence that was "unprincipled in the extreme" and "wholly without regard to the truth".
The report said that soldiers responded to the ambush with "exemplary courage, resolution and professionalism".
The inquiry found the conduct of some individual soldiers and some of the procedures of the military "fell below the high standards normally to be expected of the British army".
It found that:
It also described as "ill treatment" an interrogator banging a tent peg on a table and walking around a blindfolded detainee blowing on the back of his neck.It also described as "ill treatment" an interrogator banging a tent peg on a table and walking around a blindfolded detainee blowing on the back of his neck.
It is understood that the former Iraqi detainees - who are now known to have been armed insurgents at the time - will not pursue claims of compensation.It is understood that the former Iraqi detainees - who are now known to have been armed insurgents at the time - will not pursue claims of compensation.
AnalysisAnalysis
By Norman Smith, Assistant Political Editor, BBC NewsBy Norman Smith, Assistant Political Editor, BBC News
It's a very symbolic case for the British military because the charges were so grave, namely the mutilation of bodies of Iraqis and suggestions of torture.It's a very symbolic case for the British military because the charges were so grave, namely the mutilation of bodies of Iraqis and suggestions of torture.
"These were very serious allegations which the soldiers involved and the Ministry of Defence have always contested all the way along following what became as the Battle of Danny Boy when these British soldiers where ambushed by Iraqi insurgents."These were very serious allegations which the soldiers involved and the Ministry of Defence have always contested all the way along following what became as the Battle of Danny Boy when these British soldiers where ambushed by Iraqi insurgents.
I think the view in British military circles was they had to contest this, they had to absolutely demonstrate their innocence which is why I think this process has taken so long.I think the view in British military circles was they had to contest this, they had to absolutely demonstrate their innocence which is why I think this process has taken so long.
They needed to absolutely check everything out and show nothing was being hidden because if there had been any lingering suspicion that British soldiers had been involved in torture, the ramifications in terms of the standing of the British military, would have been hugely profound.They needed to absolutely check everything out and show nothing was being hidden because if there had been any lingering suspicion that British soldiers had been involved in torture, the ramifications in terms of the standing of the British military, would have been hugely profound.
I imagine it's a massive, massive relief and also a sense of vindication on the part of the MoD.I imagine it's a massive, massive relief and also a sense of vindication on the part of the MoD.
Lawyers acting for several Iraqi families had originally claimed some men taken from the battlefield were mistreated and killed at Camp Abu Naji and Shaibah Logistics Base.
But they withdrew those allegations in March this year after conceding "insufficient material" had been presented at the inquiry to support those accusations.
The MoD, British troops and their lawyers had vigorously denied the allegations, saying those who died were killed in the fighting.
The inquiry was named after Hamid Al-Sweady, a 19-year-old student whose father Mizal Karim Al-Sweady claimed he was murdered after being detained.The inquiry was named after Hamid Al-Sweady, a 19-year-old student whose father Mizal Karim Al-Sweady claimed he was murdered after being detained.
Sir Thayne said perhaps the "most significant lie of many" was that Hamid Al-Sweady had been alive when he was captured.Sir Thayne said perhaps the "most significant lie of many" was that Hamid Al-Sweady had been alive when he was captured.
Mr Fallon said the inquiry had "utterly rejected all claims of murder and torture as deliberate and calculated lies". He said: "Such assertions as that undoubtedly played a part in the persistence of the completely false allegations that Iraqi men had been detained alive and then in effect murdered at Camp Abu Naji."
"This is unsurprising as we have long said there was no credible evidence to back up these claims. Regrettably a public inquiry was necessary to put to rest false allegations that were championed by two law firms at great expense to the taxpayer. 'No credible evidence'
"Whilst the vast majority of the accusations against the British military were wholly and entirely without merit and the Army's use of force was entirely appropriate, there were some instances of ill-treatment. In a House of Commons statement, Mr Fallon said the findings were "incontrovertible".
"However I am satisfied that those incidents would not occur today thanks to changes made since 2004, including as a result of the Baha Mousa Inquiry." "British soldiers did not carry out the atrocities that had been falsely attributed to them," he told MPs.
Mr Fallon said it was "shameful" that the allegations of murder were only withdrawn in March.
He said the conduct of some of the lawyers acting for the detainees would be investigated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority.
He called on those lawyers to issue an "unequivocal apology to the soldiers whose reputations they attempted to traduce" as well as "to the taxpayers who have had to pay the cost of exposing these lies".
General Sir Nicholas Carter, Chief of the General Staff, said the report would be a "huge relief" to the soldiers and families who had been affected.
"It is of course right that the Army and its soldiers should be held to account when they fail to uphold our high standards. And it is important that we learn appropriate lessons from this case," he said.
Sir Thayne is making nine separate recommendations based on his findings. He said improvements had to be made to the collection, storage and ability to search documents and records.
Other recommendations include the need for better arrest records for detainees in theatres of war.