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07/02/2007
PM 'deeply regrets' inquest delays
The Prime Minister has informed MPs that he "deeply regretted" the distress caused to the family of a friendly fire victim over delays in the inquest.
An Oxford coroner had to delay an inquest into the death of Lance Corporal of Horse Matty Hull, due to the refusal of authorities to produce a video taken from the cockpit of the US Air National Guard A10 tankbuster that strafed his armoured vehicle in 2003 in Iraq.
Mr Blair said that such matters would be dealt with better in the future.
The case has prompted widespread allegations of an attempted cover up into the death of 25-year-old L/Cpl of Horse Hull by both American and British administrations.
Yesterday, a leaked video clip of the cockpit footage provided to the Sun newspaper revealed the moment when the A10 tankbuster's 30mm heavy canon tore apart the British armoured vehicle.
The so-called "blue-on-blue" attack on four armoured vehicles mistakenly identified as "hostiles" by the A10 pilots followed a string of mistakes. An air traffic controller told the pilots that there were no friendlies in their area and the pilots failed to recognise that the orange flashed colour on the top of the vehicles was the correct identification marker for friendly armour. Transcripts of the video log indicate that other mistakes were evident prior to the A10 engaging the friendly target.
A US military board of inquiry cleared both pilots.
It is reported today that one of the American pilots involved has been promoted to Colonel and is training other US combat pilots.
The US military routinely declines to declassify material that might incriminate serving personnel. The Ministry of Defence had told L/Cpl of Horse Hull's widow that there was no footage available.
The coroner's hearing is expected to resume on March 12.
Defence analysts put the incidence of friendly fire casualties at around 10-15%.
(SP/KMcA)
An Oxford coroner had to delay an inquest into the death of Lance Corporal of Horse Matty Hull, due to the refusal of authorities to produce a video taken from the cockpit of the US Air National Guard A10 tankbuster that strafed his armoured vehicle in 2003 in Iraq.
Mr Blair said that such matters would be dealt with better in the future.
The case has prompted widespread allegations of an attempted cover up into the death of 25-year-old L/Cpl of Horse Hull by both American and British administrations.
Yesterday, a leaked video clip of the cockpit footage provided to the Sun newspaper revealed the moment when the A10 tankbuster's 30mm heavy canon tore apart the British armoured vehicle.
The so-called "blue-on-blue" attack on four armoured vehicles mistakenly identified as "hostiles" by the A10 pilots followed a string of mistakes. An air traffic controller told the pilots that there were no friendlies in their area and the pilots failed to recognise that the orange flashed colour on the top of the vehicles was the correct identification marker for friendly armour. Transcripts of the video log indicate that other mistakes were evident prior to the A10 engaging the friendly target.
A US military board of inquiry cleared both pilots.
It is reported today that one of the American pilots involved has been promoted to Colonel and is training other US combat pilots.
The US military routinely declines to declassify material that might incriminate serving personnel. The Ministry of Defence had told L/Cpl of Horse Hull's widow that there was no footage available.
The coroner's hearing is expected to resume on March 12.
Defence analysts put the incidence of friendly fire casualties at around 10-15%.
(SP/KMcA)
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