Panorama on BBC 1 now about British soldiers torturing and killing Iraqi prisoners. 
British Army spokeman on Sky News claiming that Iraqi torture claims are a result of the compensation culture :lol: :lol:
Trying to meet the rebels in Libya :lol:
Scum.
http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2011/0329/1224293299130.html
Apology but no new criminal case over 1976 shooting of girl in North
DAN KEENAN, Northern News Editor
NO NEW criminal proceedings are expected to be taken against the British soldier who shot dead a young girl in south Armagh in 1976 despite a British government apology yesterday, and its acceptance that his court testimony was “unlikely”.
Majella O’Hare (12), from Whitecross, died after she was shot in the back by a parachute regiment soldier after she passed an army checkpoint on her way to confession on August 14th that year.
Pte Michael Williams of the 3rd battalion of the regiment claimed he had opened fire on an IRA sniper, and a non-jury Diplock court subsequently acquitted him of manslaughter.
The British government has apologised to the O’Hare family and has written to Majella’s mother. A letter signed by defence secretary Liam Fox was handed to Mary O’Hare (88) by his colleague, Northern Secretary Owen Paterson.
“I apologise for Majella’s death and offer you my heartfelt sympathy,” Mr Fox wrote. “Although many years have passed, I have no doubt that your grief and that of your family has not diminished . . . both the initial investigation by the RUC and the more recent review have concluded that it was unlikely that there was a gunman in the area when the soldier involved opened fire and struck Majella, as he claimed.
“The soldier’s actions resulted in the loss of a young and innocent life, causing sorrow and anguish for those who knew and loved Majella. On behalf of the army and the government I am profoundly sorry that this tragic incident should have happened.”
The original police investigation of the killing, which recommended that Pte Williams be tried for manslaughter, was itself investigated last year by the Historical Enquiries Team, the PSNI team charged with examining nearly 3,300 cold cases from the Troubles. It called for an apology to be made.
“The original RUC investigation found that Pte Michael Williams was not returning fire at a gunman as he claimed and they recommended to prosecutors that he be charged with manslaughter.
“The prosecutors agreed and charged him with manslaughter, but he was acquitted,” the team said.
“The HET supports the findings of the original investigation. We also said the RUC investigation was thorough and good.”
Majella’s brother Michael yesterday welcomed the apology: “It is not closure, but we have moved along the way. It has been a long time coming. It still does not avoid the fact that Majella is dead as a result of their actions.”
The O’Hare family has never sought criminal proceedings against the British army and is not pressing for a fresh case against Pte Williams. It is understood he is not in good health and would not make a reliable witness were proceedings to be taken.
Further apologies from the British government in relation to contentious killings during the Troubles are possible, a human rights group claimed last night.
Jane Winter, director of British-Irish Rights Watch, said last night: “I think a wind of change is blowing and politicians have finally begun to realise that the sky does not fall in when you apologise for having done something wrong. In fact it makes things better.”
She added: “There are clearly many cases which deserve an apology or, more accurately, some kind of acknowledgment that what happened was wrong. I am hopeful that there may be a few more down the line.”
Last June British prime minister David Cameron apologised in parliament for the actions of the parachute regiment on Bloody Sunday in Derry in 1972.
A harrowing story and disgusting that the animal who did was never punished for his barbaric acts.
[size=4]Baha Mousa: Kicked and punched to death by cowards[/size]
After an eight-year campaign for justice led by this paper, a public inquiry into the killing of Iraqi civilian Baha Mousa while in British Army custody delivers its damning verdict
By Nina Lakhani
Friday 9 September 2011
“Serious and gratuitous” violence by British soldiers caused the death of an Iraqi hotel worker and injuries to nine other innocent civilians, a landmark public inquiry ruled yesterday.
Baha Mousa, 26, a widower and father of two young children, died after enduring 93 separate injuries as a result of being kicked, punched and restrained by soldiers in Basra in September 2003.He was one of 10 innocent men rounded up as suspected insurgents after weapons were found in the hotel at which seven of them worked. In addition to the assaults and humiliation, which began almost immediately upon arrest, soldiers from the 1st Battalion Queen’s Lancashire Regiment subjected the men to painful and inhumane interrogation techniques that had been banned for more than 30 years.
The three-year public inquiry concluded that suspected insurgents were subjected routinely by the 1QLR to “unjustified and wholly unacceptable” hooding, stress positions, sleep deprivation, extreme noise and withholding of food and water – which contributed to Mr Mousa’s death. The Ministry of Defence was found culpable of corporate and systemic failings because information about the banned techniques had been “lost”, which meant it was left out from all Army guidelines and training. The MoD was also criticised for making inaccurate and misleading statements about the use of hooding and other interrogation techniques.
Sir William Gage, the inquiry chairman, said Mr Mousa had been subjected to “violent and cowardly abuse” and singled out four soldiers as those who “bear a heavy responsibility” for the “shameful events” that took place between 14 and 16 September 2003. They include Corporal Donald Payne, who orchestrated the assaults and is the only soldier to have been punished for his actions after admitting to inhumane treatment of Mr Mousa in the 2006 court martial.
The inquiry also lambasts Colonel Jorge Mendonca, the commanding officer, who “ought to have known what was going on in that building long before Baha Mousa died”. He and six others were acquitted by the same court martial of all charges.
The findings will add to pressure on the Government to order a much wider independent inquiry into allegations of torture and abuse. The Government is currently facing several legal challenges on behalf of hundreds of alleged Iraqi victims which could force it to hold public inquiries into the actions of British armed forces between 2003 and 2009.
Lawyers representing the nine surviving victims and Mr Mousa’s father yesterday said the 2006 court martial represented a “profound injustice”, and called for civil and military prosecutors to study the report, which runs to 1,400 pages, and ensure justice is now done.
A total of 19 soldiers are named as responsible for assaults and other acts of violence against the men. Three out of the 19 individuals were senior non-commissioned officers. The soldiers were guaranteed immunity from their own evidence but could be charged using the evidence of others.
General Sir Peter Wall, head of the British Army, said yesterday that the death of Mr Mousa “cast a dark shadow” over the Army’s reputation. Sir Peter has been asked by the Defence Secretary Liam Fox to consider what action could be taken against those still serving. Mr Fox, who accepted 72 of the report’s 73 recommendations, described the events leading to Mr Mousa’s death as “deplorable, shocking and shameful”. He referred to the harrowing examples of abuse suffered by the innocent victims. Kifah Matair was kicked repeatedly to his kidney area, abdomen, ribs and genitals whenever his arms dropped from the stress position, and had his eyes gouged. The youngest, unnamed victim, 18 at the time, was forced to squat with his face directly over a toilet.
Sir William goes on to criticise the “lack of moral courage” shown by a far larger number of people who turned a blind eye to the visible abuses and injuries inflicted on the 10 men.
In a statement to Parliament, Mr Fox said: “It is clear there were serious failings in command and discipline in the First Battalion, The Queen’s Lancashire Regiment … There was a lack of clarity in the allocation of responsibility for prisoner handling process and sadly too there was a lack of moral courage to report abuse.” But he rejected advice to ban “harshing” – which involves screaming at detainees during interrogation.
Next month the Court of Appeal will rule on a case involving 142 Iraqis, which is led by Ali Zaki Mousa, who was detained by British forces.
The key recommendations
- MoD should retain absolute prohibition on using hoods on captured personnel.
- Guidelines should make clear that prisoners must not be kept awake.
- When there is a death in custody, particularly if sudden or unexplained, other captives must be checked promptly.
- Where practicable, captured personnel subjected to sight deprivation or hearing deprivation should be told why.
- Guidelines should incorporate the requirement that on entry to and exit from a theatre-level detention facility, captives are asked whether or not they have any complaints about treatment.
The BA really are unbelievable.
Christ. And people make out that the IRA were the bad guys??
Was it the Royal Green Jackets or the Paras that raped and hacked a girl to pieces in Cyprus that time? Sick bastards.
13/09/2011 - 09:56:56
The British Army has apologised to the family of a man shot dead 40 years ago.
Billy McGreanery, 41, was killed in Derry in 1971 by a soldier from the 1st Battalion Grenadier Guards, who said he had been armed when he walked past an Army observation post.
The Historical Enquiries Team of detectives said the victim was not carrying a firearm and posed no threat when he was targeted.
Peter Wall, chief of the Army’s general staff, wrote to the dead man’s family.
“It is evident that the soldier who shot him was mistaken in his belief that he had a weapon and this error, tragically, resulted in the death of an innocent man,” he said.
“I would like to express my sorrow and regret for his death which, in the years since it occurred, has deprived you of an uncle’s support and affection.
“I do not believe that anything I can say will ease the sorrow you feel for what has happened, but I hope that this apology, and the findings of the HET, will be of some comfort to you.”
He died at the junction of Eastway, Lonemoor Road and Westland Street on September 15, 1971 as he walked past the observation post with a group of men.
His family have campaigned for justice and the Army commander wrote to his nephew Billy McGreanery and niece Marjorie Roddy.
Soldier A was never prosecuted on the advice of the attorney general who said that he was acting in the course of his duty.[left]
Read more: http://www.breakingnews.ie/ireland/british-army-apologises-for-1971-shooting-520323.html#ixzz1XpWazHez[/left][/left]
Cunts.
More today about them sexually assaulting Iraqi youngsters too.
40 years tomorrow
John (Jackie) Duddy (17). Shot in the chest in the car park of Rossville flats. Four witnesses stated Duddy was unarmed and running away from the paratroopers when he was killed. Three of them saw a soldier take deliberate aim at the youth as he ran. He is the uncle of the Irish boxer John Duddy[/url].[sup][url=“http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bloody_Sunday_(1972)#cite_note-CAINBS-37”][size=2][38][/size][/sup]
Patrick Joseph Doherty (31). Shot from behind while attempting to crawl to safety in the forecourt of Rossville flats. Doherty was the subject of a series of photographs, taken before and after he died by French journalist Gilles Peress[/url]. Despite testimony from “Soldier F” that he had fired at a man holding and firing a pistol, Widgery acknowledged that the photographs showed Doherty was unarmed, and that forensic tests on his hands for gunshot residue proved negative.[sup][url=“http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bloody_Sunday_(1972)#cite_note-CAINBS-37”][size=2][38][/size][/url][/sup][sup][url=“http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bloody_Sunday_(1972)#cite_note-39”][size=2][40][/size][/sup]
Bernard McGuigan (41). Shot in the back of the head when he went to help Patrick Doherty. He had been waving a white handkerchief at the soldiers to indicate his peaceful intentions.[sup][size=2][6][/size][/sup]
Hugh Pious Gilmour (17). Shot through his right elbow, the bullet then entering his chest as he ran from the paratroopers on Rossville Street.[sup][size=2][38][/size][/url][/sup] Widgery acknowledged that a photograph taken seconds after Gilmour was hit corroborated witness reports that he was unarmed, and that tests for gunshot residue were negative.[sup][url=“http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bloody_Sunday_(1972)#cite_note-WIDGERY-5”][size=2][6][/size][/sup]
Kevin McElhinney (17). Shot from behind while attempting to crawl to safety at the front entrance of the Rossville Flats. Two witnesses stated McElhinney was unarmed.[sup][size=2][38][/size][/sup]
Michael Gerald Kelly (17). Shot in the stomach while standing near the rubble barricade in front of Rossville Flats. Widgery accepted that Kelly was unarmed.[sup][size=2][38][/size][/sup]
John Pius Young (17). Shot in the head while standing at the rubble barricade. Two witnesses stated Young was unarmed.[sup][size=2][38][/size][/sup]
William Noel Nash (19). Shot in the chest near the barricade. Witnesses stated Nash was unarmed and going to the aid of another when killed.[sup][size=2][38][/size][/sup]
Michael M. McDaid (20). Shot in the face at the barricade as he was walking away from the paratroopers. The trajectory of the bullet indicated he could have been killed by soldiers positioned on the Derry Walls.[sup][size=2][38][/size][/sup]
James Joseph Wray (22). Wounded then shot again at close range while lying on the ground. Witnesses who were not called to the Widgery Tribunal stated that Wray was calling out that he could not move his legs before he was shot the second time.[sup][size=2][38][/size][/sup]
Gerald (James) McKinney (34). Shot just after Gerald Donaghy. Witnesses stated that McKinney had been running behind Donaghy, and he stopped and held up his arms, shouting “Don’t shoot! Don’t shoot!”, when he saw Donaghy fall. He was then shot in the chest.[sup][size=2][38][/size][/sup]
William Anthony McKinney (27). Shot from behind as he attempted to aid Gerald McKinney (no relation). He had left cover to try to help Gerald.[sup][size=2][38][/size][/sup]
John Johnston (59). Shot in the leg and left shoulder on William Street 15 minutes before the rest of the shooting started.[sup][size=2][38][/size][/url][/sup][sup][url=“http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bloody_Sunday_(1972)#cite_note-taylor-42”][size=2][43][/size][/url][/sup] Johnston was not on the march, but on his way to visit a friend in Glenfada Park.[sup][url=“http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bloody_Sunday_(1972)#cite_note-taylor-42”][size=2][43][/size][/url][/sup] He died 4½ months later; his death has been attributed to the injuries he received on the day. He was the only one not to die immediately or soon after being shot.[sup][url=“http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bloody_Sunday_(1972)#cite_note-CAINBS-37”][size=2][38][/size][/sup]
Thats the 14 who were killed that day. Doesn’t of course include the subsequent devastation of famillies and friends. I read a thing a few years ago about how a number of suicides have been attributed to what happened that day.
Lest we forget indeed.
If I was younger I think I would sign up, or go for the marines.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2012/feb/07/argentina-football-league-general-belgrano
Argentinian football league renamed in honour of the General Belgrano
• 30th anniversary of Falklands war is in April
• Top flight renamed Crucero General Belgrano Primera División[list]
[*]guardian.co.uk, Tuesday 7 February 2012 11.18 GMT
[/list]
Boca Juniors fans will watch their team in the Crucero General Belgrano Primera División this season. Photograph: Eduardo Di Baia/AP
As tension rises over the 30th anniversary of the war between Britain and Argentina[/url] over the [url=“http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/falklands”]Falkland Islands, the Argentinian government has named the upcoming football season in honour a naval ship sunk by British torpedoes in the conflict.
The season, which begins on Friday, will be the known as the Crucero General Belgrano Primera División or Cruiser General Belgrano First Division in English. Argentina lost 649 servicemen in the war, 323 of whom were crew members on the Belgrano.
The Argentinian government owns the rights to First Division matches and shows games on free-to-air TV.
Advertising time during the matches is often used to promote the accomplishments of the government, which says the islands it calls “Las Islas Malvinas” belong to Argentina.
The 30th anniversary of the start of the 10-week war is 2 April.
FIFA have warned the Argentina Football Association that the move to rename their top league after the General Belgrano cruiser sunk during the Falklands War may breach rules on political involvement with football.
It was announced last week that the country’s domestic league will be known as the Crucero General Belgrano First Division.
FIFA, the game’s world governing body, have now written to the Argentina FA for clarification and pointed out the rules.
A FIFA statement said: "FIFA have contacted the Argentinian FA (AFA) with regards to a potential change of name of the Liga de Primera Division. According to media reports, the league was set to be named after ‘Crucero General Belgrano’.
"FIFA has requested the AFA to provide further information on this matter, and reminded the AFA of Art. 3 of the FIFA Statutes which prohibits any kind of discrimination against a country, private person or group of people on account of ethnic origin, gender, language, religion, politics or any other reason.
“A potential change of name of the Liga de Primera Division would clearly infringe the above mentioned article and could be sanctioned in accordance with the FIFA Statutes.”
The General Belgrano was sunk by an English Royal Navy submarine with the loss of 323 Argentine lives in 1982
Fuck off FIFA.
Seems a botched attempt at freeing an English and an Italian hostage being held in Nigeria has gone awry resulting in both men being killed by their captures. The Italians aren’t best pleased as the British didn’t consult with them before the operation.
Does this count?
Soldier arrested after fatal stabbing in Droylsden
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A serving soldier has been arrested on suspicion of murdering a woman in Greater Manchester.[/size][/font]
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Ian Lowe, 24, who serves with the 1st Battalion of the Duke of Lancaster’s Regiment, was arrested after police found Leanne McNuff, also aged 24, on Mellor Street in Droylsden on Sunday.[/size][/font]
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She had been stabbed and was taken to hospital where she was pronounced dead.[/size][/font]
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A Ministry of Defence spokeswoman said she could not comment on the investigation.[/size][/font]
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She said that as “the matter is subject to an ongoing civil police investigation, it would be inappropriate to comment further”.[/size][/font]
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Greater Manchester Police said a post-mortem examination was due to take place.[/size][/font]
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Det Supt Vincent Petrykowski said the investigation was in the “early stages” and that police were “working to establish the full circumstances of what happened”.[/size][/font]
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"Our thoughts are with Leanne’s family and friends at this time, who are understandably distraught that their loved one has been taken from them in this way.[/size][/font]
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“I would like to reassure residents that we do not believe there is any danger to the community.”[/size][/font]
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He added that it was being treated as “an isolated incident” and urged anyone who might have seen something to get in touch.
[font=Arial][size=1]The 1st Battalion of the Duke of Lancaster’s Regiment is stationed in Somme Barracks, Catterick in North Yorkshire.[/size][/font]
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