British Troops to Stand Trial for Murder

[Englander]

Thursday February 3, 2005 1:16 PM

LONDON (AP) - Britain's attorney general said Thursday that seven British soldiers would stand trial for allegedly murdering an Iraqi civilian in southern Iraq.

Lord Goldsmith said the soldiers would face a court martial in connection with the death of Nadhem Abdullah on May 11, 2003 in Al U'Zayra in southern Iraq, following a roadside incident.

The seven soldiers were all members of the 3rd Battalion, the Parachute Regiment, he said in a statement to Parliament.

No date was set for a trial or a preliminary hearing, he added.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,1280,-4775573,00.html

[emad]

1. Paras charged with Iraqi murder

BBC

Seven British paras have been charged with a joint offence of murder over the death of an Iraqi civilian, the attorney general has said.
They are also charged jointly with violent disorder.

The charges relate to the death of Nadhem Abdullah on 11 May 2003 in al U'Zayra in southern Iraq, following an incident at the roadside.

Those charged include Cpl Scott Evans, Pte William Nerney and Daniel Harding, all then of 3 Para.

Mr Harding has since left the armed forces.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4231509.stm

[Englander]

2. "3rd battalion of the Parachute Regiment,"

1.30pm
Seven soldiers charged over Iraqi's murder

Press Association
Thursday February 3, 2005

Seven British soldiers are to face courts martial over the murder of an Iraqi civilian, the attorney general said today.

The men, all from the 3rd battalion of the Parachute Regiment, will face charges of murder and violent disorder following the death of Nadhem Abdullah near Basra, southern Iraq, in May 2003.

In a written statement, Lord Goldsmith named three of the men to face courts martial as Corporal Scott Evans, Private William Nerney and Daniel Harding, who is now a civilian. He said the other four would be named once they had been informed of the charges against them.

No date has yet been set for the courts martial or a preliminary hearing. The decision to court martial the men was taken by the Army Prosecuting Board.


http://www.guardian.co.uk/military/story/0,11816,1405166,00.html

[rainbow4321]

3. Iraq abuse charge against British soldier dropped

http://www.khaleejtimes.com/DisplayArticle.asp?xfile=data/theworld/2005/February/theworld_February83.xml§ion=theworld&col=


BERLIN - British army prosecutors have dropped one of the charges against soldiers accused of abusing and sexually humiliating Iraqi detainees in May 2003 because of lack of evidence, a court spokesman said on Thursday.


Lance corporal Darren Larkin no longer faces a charge of forcing two detainees to strip naked after the prosecution unexpectedly dropped the charge on Thursday morning, the spokesman said.

He said the prosecution had taken the step due to lack of evidence but gave no further details.

Larkin, one of three soldiers on trial at a British army base in Osnabrueck in northern Germany, has already pleaded guilty to a separate charge of assaulting a detainee