.We quit, say Iraq death trial soldiers
Two Guardsmen who were acquitted of killing an Iraqi looter said yesterday that they were leaving the Army in disgust at being "hung out to dry".
Joseph McCleary and Martin McGing, both of the Irish Guards, announced their resignations yesterday as the Attorney General attempted to turn the criticism away from Army prosecutors.
After a five-week trial it took just five hours for a panel of officers to acquit three soldiers of the manslaughter of Ahmed Karheem, who had been forced into a canal outside Basra.
The soldiers said yesterday that they had been made scapegoats for the Army following reports that British soldiers had abused Iraqis.
Guardsman McCleary, 24, of Bootle, Merseyside, said: "We were told to put the looters in the canal. I was the lowest rank, and we were always told we weren't paid to think. We just followed orders.
"I don't know why the Army went ahead with the prosecution. It was when there were reports about British soldiers mistreating Iraqis and they wanted to look like they were doing something. We were scapegoats."
Guardsman McGing, 22, of Oldbury, West Midlands, said he was bitter at being prosecuted when they were doing their duty
"I always wanted to be a soldier. Now I have a different view because the Army hung me out to dry," he said. "I want out as soon as possible."
He advised soldiers heading to Iraq to "hire a good lawyer in case the Army stabs you in the back".
A Ministry of Defence spokesman said that it was "unfortunate" that the men were leaving but "any decision is a personal matter".
Lord Goldsmith, the Attorney General, claimed yesterday there was enough evidence to proceed with a prosecution. "That was a decision of the independent army prosecuting authority," he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme.
The third soldier to be cleared on Tuesday, Colour Sgt Carle Selman, 39, of the Coldstream Guards, will rejoin his current unit, the Scots Guards, in Munster, Germany, the MoD said.
Telegraph
Joseph McCleary and Martin McGing, both of the Irish Guards, announced their resignations yesterday as the Attorney General attempted to turn the criticism away from Army prosecutors.
After a five-week trial it took just five hours for a panel of officers to acquit three soldiers of the manslaughter of Ahmed Karheem, who had been forced into a canal outside Basra.
The soldiers said yesterday that they had been made scapegoats for the Army following reports that British soldiers had abused Iraqis.
Guardsman McCleary, 24, of Bootle, Merseyside, said: "We were told to put the looters in the canal. I was the lowest rank, and we were always told we weren't paid to think. We just followed orders.
"I don't know why the Army went ahead with the prosecution. It was when there were reports about British soldiers mistreating Iraqis and they wanted to look like they were doing something. We were scapegoats."
Guardsman McGing, 22, of Oldbury, West Midlands, said he was bitter at being prosecuted when they were doing their duty
"I always wanted to be a soldier. Now I have a different view because the Army hung me out to dry," he said. "I want out as soon as possible."
He advised soldiers heading to Iraq to "hire a good lawyer in case the Army stabs you in the back".
A Ministry of Defence spokesman said that it was "unfortunate" that the men were leaving but "any decision is a personal matter".
Lord Goldsmith, the Attorney General, claimed yesterday there was enough evidence to proceed with a prosecution. "That was a decision of the independent army prosecuting authority," he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme.
The third soldier to be cleared on Tuesday, Colour Sgt Carle Selman, 39, of the Coldstream Guards, will rejoin his current unit, the Scots Guards, in Munster, Germany, the MoD said.
Telegraph
posted by madtom at 3:17 PM
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