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07/11/2012
Marines On Murder Trial Granted Anonymity
Five Royal Marines charged with murdering a captured Afghan suspect have been granted anonymity.
Judge advocate general Jeff Blackett made the ruling today, which means the identities of the soldiers cannot be named throughout the trial.
An interim order was made under armed forces rules and the Contempt of Court Act last month due to a "real and immediate risk" to their lives.
Various news organisations, including the Press Association, have challenged the claims.
The five soldiers are currently known only as A, B, C, D and E. They are accused of murdering an unknown captured Afghan national on or about 15 September last year.
In the ruling published today, Blackett said: "On a joint application from the defence and the prosecution, I considered evidence relating to a security assessment in camera.
"This was necessary because some of the material was of a highly sensitive or classified nature. As a result, the press were unable to test any of the evidence which I heard from the defence expert, but I asked him to comment on the substance of their submissions."
He concluded: "I am satisfied that there may be a real and immediate risk to the defendants' lives based on the information which is currently in the public domain, and that the risk will increase significantly when all of the prosecution evidence is disclosed as the trial unfolds.
"The risk comes from organised terrorist activity and 'lone wolves' who are unpredictable. In this respect, members of the armed forces are entitled to be treated differently from civilians within this country at this moment in history."
(IT/GK)
Judge advocate general Jeff Blackett made the ruling today, which means the identities of the soldiers cannot be named throughout the trial.
An interim order was made under armed forces rules and the Contempt of Court Act last month due to a "real and immediate risk" to their lives.
Various news organisations, including the Press Association, have challenged the claims.
The five soldiers are currently known only as A, B, C, D and E. They are accused of murdering an unknown captured Afghan national on or about 15 September last year.
In the ruling published today, Blackett said: "On a joint application from the defence and the prosecution, I considered evidence relating to a security assessment in camera.
"This was necessary because some of the material was of a highly sensitive or classified nature. As a result, the press were unable to test any of the evidence which I heard from the defence expert, but I asked him to comment on the substance of their submissions."
He concluded: "I am satisfied that there may be a real and immediate risk to the defendants' lives based on the information which is currently in the public domain, and that the risk will increase significantly when all of the prosecution evidence is disclosed as the trial unfolds.
"The risk comes from organised terrorist activity and 'lone wolves' who are unpredictable. In this respect, members of the armed forces are entitled to be treated differently from civilians within this country at this moment in history."
(IT/GK)
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