Same weapon killed 7 UK soldiers in Iraq -inquest

[Eugene]

Source: Reuters

Same weapon killed 7 UK soldiers in Iraq -inquest
21 Dec 2007 18:25:45 GMT

LONDON, Dec 21 (Reuters) - Seven British soldiers
shot dead in Iraq this year were probably killed by
the same sniper using the same U.S.-made weapon,
a British coroner said on Friday.

The coroner, David Masters, was speaking a day after
recording a verdict of unlawful killing in the death
of Rodney Wilson, a British soldier shot by insurgents
while on patrol in the southern Iraqi city of Basra
in June.

Masters said evidence given during Wilson's inquest
showed that six other British soldiers killed in the
three months before Masters were more than likely
killed by the same sniper using the same weapon.

-snip-

The weapon was probably an M16 or an M4 Carbine,
both high-powered U.S.-made assault rifles, he said.

-snip-

Read more: http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L21480502.htm

[shain from kane]

1. 140,000 Japanese killed with same bomb.

[acmavm]

2. The possibilities here are endless. It was sold by military personnel

to Iraqis, it was sold by Blackwater to Iraqis, it was sold by Iraqi military to Iraiqi 'insurgents'. Or maybe it was sold by the US government to Iraq and then passed on to al Quaeda (who we all know are the only people in Iraq killing people). Or, an Iraqi police official sold it. Or an Iraqi police official is the sniper.

Any more suggestions???

[Downtown Hound]

3. Took it off a dead soldier or mercenary?

But probably it's one of yours.

[acmavm]

4. Not necessarily. Your's are pretty good too. I bet there's a whole bunch

of scenarios (I Hate That Word) that we haven't thought of. But the one common denominator? It's an AMURIKAN MADE WEAPON! God Bless Amurika!

[Jackeen]

5. Pretty generic information to draw a conclusion from.

It seems from the article that the coroner drew his conclusion from the calibre of the round: 5.56mm. It could well have been an M-16/M-4 from military supplies. It could also have been an AR-15 available in any good American gun store, very popular with a heavy barrel as a civilian target rifle. Or a Tavor or G-36 available in any good Canadian gunstore (As Americans can't buy them). Or maybe a SIG rifle. Oh, wait.. you can buy FAMAS or FN2000 as a civilian.. or an AUG while I think of it... or.... never mind.

[benEzra]

6. Story is garbled...

Masters said evidence given during Wilson's inquest
showed that six other British soldiers killed in the
three months before Masters were more than likely
killed by the same sniper using the same weapon.

The weapon was probably an M16 or an M4 Carbine,
both high-powered U.S.-made assault rifles, he said.

Neither the M16 nor the M4 are sniper weapons, and neither are high-powered (one of the chief complaints against the platform is that it is the least powerful of all common centerfire rifles, which led to the development of the 6.8mm Remington and whatnot). Most U.S.-made sniper weapons are .308 Winchester/7.62x51mm, not .223/5.56x45mm.