Court martial to inspect Iraqi site of civilian death

[IndianaGreen]

13 August 2005 20:22

Court martial to inspect Iraqi site of civilian death

By Severin Carrell
Published: 14 August 2005

A military court is to visit Iraq to see the place where seven paratroopers allegedly beat an Iraqi civilian to death, The Independent on Sunday can reveal.

The unprecedented visit will involve a major security operation to protect up to 50 members of the court. The site is in one of the most dangerous areas of south-east Iraq, Maysan province.

It will be the first time a court martial has taken evidence in Iraq. The contingent for the visit is expected to include military legal advisers, a seven-strong jury, court officials, the seven defendants and their lawyers, plus a small group of journalists.

The seven soldiers are alleged to have murdered Nadhem Abdullah in May 2003 during an incident at al-Uzayr in Maysan, beside a dangerous road, Route 6, which is a notorious route for opium traffickers. The area was reputed to be one of the most lawless in British-controlled Iraq. Their court martial, one of a series of high-profile and controversial military prosecutions over the alleged abuse of Iraqis, is due to begin at Colchester in early September.

The case has already been hit by controversy because Mr Abdullah's family had twice refused, in line with local customs, to allow his body to be exhumed for forensic examination. But it is understood army prosecutors have won the family's agreement to exhume the body and examine it in the graveyard.

http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/legal/article305773.ece