British troops accused of unlawful killing

[maddezmom]

British troops accused of unlawful killing
Wed 5 May, 2004 08:32

LONDON (Reuters) - Lawyers for 14 Iraqi families who allege their relatives were unlawfully killed by British troops in post-war Iraq take their case to the High Court today.

The Ministry of Defence refuses to accept responsibility for the deaths but the families' lawyer, Phil Shiner, demanded a judicial review to examine whether the killings were a violation of the victims' right to life under the European law.

"The soldiers and Ministry of Defence can't get away with killings...with impunity," Shiner told BBC radio on Wednesday. "There have to be inquiries."

A spokesman for the Ministry of Defence -- already under intense pressure after photographs showing alleged abuse of Iraqi prisoners by British soldiers appeared in newspapers last week -- said the government had responded to lawyers' inquiries.

"We do not accept liability for the deaths they have brought to our attention, and have written to them informing them of our reasons," he said.

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http://www.reuters.co.uk/newsPackageArticle.jhtml?type=topNews&storyID=504608§ion=news