20/07/2005

British servicemen face war crimes charges

Three British military personnel are to face a court martial following charges of inhuman treatment of detainees in Iraq.

The three face charges under the International Criminal Court Act 2001, but will be subject to trial at a military court martial in the UK rather than being brought before the International Criminal Court (ICC) in the Hague. The jurisdiction of the ICC is limited to circumstances where the relevant state is unable or unwilling to comply with a prosecution trial.

The trio are the first of 11 servicemen to be charged in connection with cases relating to the treatment of detainees in Iraq. The accused are alleged to have committed a number of offences during a planned military operation in Basra in September 2003.

The most serious of the charges relate to the arrest and detention of hotel receptionist Baha Mousa. It is alleged that he was inhumanly treated and killed by Corporal Donald Payne, 34, of the Queen's Lancashire Regiment who faces a manslaughter charge.

Two other soldiers from the 1st Battalion The Queen's Lancashire Regiment Lance Corporal Wayne Crowcroft, 21, and Private Darren Fallon, 22, are charged with abusing Iraqi civilians.

A statement from the Attorney General's office also said that eight other military personnel including the then commanding officer of the regiment Colonel Jorge Mendonca, will face a military tribunal over charges in connection with the alleged abuse of Iraqi civilians.

(SP/GB)

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