US 'must attend friendly-fire inquests'

[milmor_1]

US 'must attend friendly-fire inquests'
By Ben Russell, Political Correspondent
Published: 21 November 2006

American soldiers should be forced to attend inquests on British service personnel killed in so-called "friendly- fire" attacks, a senior government minister said yesterday.

Harriet Harman, the Constitutional Affairs minister, said US personnel could not "hide from the court" by declining to give evidence in person to inquests. She called in the deputy US ambassador David Johnson yesterday and called for a change.

Ms Harman intervened after the Oxfordshire coroner, Andrew Walker, complained that US personnel had not attended inquests.

Mr Walker contacted officials at the Department for Constitutional Affairs in the summer after the Pentagon refused requests for US personnel to attend inquests. Instead, they sent written statements, some of which are understood to include censored passages.

Ministers are concerned that the failure of US forces to attend means their evidence cannot be subject to normal questioning, hindering the ability of the coroner to investigate the deaths.

As many as 10 forthcoming inquests are thought to involve "friendly fire" or were witnessed by US troops, but the figure could be higher. After yesterday's meeting, Mr Johnson agreed to report British concerns back to Washington and said that he would meet Ms Harman again in two months for a progress report.

Ms Harman said: "It was a positive, constructive meeting. Our concern is to ensure US personnel come to answer the questions of bereaved relatives. The families want to know how their loved ones were killed. They deserve that right."

Independent Online Edition > UK Politics

[Woodmonkey]

I don't know what good that would do.

[milmor_1]

Closure I suppose for the family, I am NOT sure. I do know that there would be NO threat of Court action from the Coroner as he cannot recommend such action.

The British Army have been attending inquests for years and anominity has been guaranteed

[Woodmonkey]

Originally Posted by milmor_1

Closure I suppose for the family, I am NOT sure. I do know that there would be NO threat of Court action from the Coroner as he cannot recommend such action.

The British Army have been attending inquests for years and anominity has been guaranteed

If it doesn't turn into some kind of vendetta, and does some good, that would be acceptable.

"Friendly Fire" (what a term! ) are horrible accidents in combat and this just might also help the soldiers who accidently killed one of their own, or an ally to begin their own healing.

[Caldric]

Are they suppose to stand before the families? Or is it for doctors and such? It would be harsh to have them stand before the families and get barrage of questions I think. It may even turn out to be hostile for both parties, one defending the other accusing.

Maybe I misunderstood though. I think if the UK wants to question the troops they should be allowed but perhaps they should do so where the troops are not drag them across the world.

Friendly fire must be one of the more difficult things to come to terms with, anger and harsh feelings are understandable. Every incident is different of course.

However if they are whining about that so-called amulance in the middle of a fire fight then they are asking too much.