Fallon backs witch-hunt –‘ because it keeps soldiers out of The Hague’

DEFENCE Secretary Sir Michael Fallon yesterday defended the taxpayer-funded inquiry hounding British soldiers – as a way of preventing them from facing prosecution at The Hague.

He insisted troops had to face multiple probes in the UK to stop them being tried for war crimes by the International Criminal Court (ICC). He admitted there had been a ‘bucketful’ of ‘patently’ false claims against UK forces, but said work was under way to eliminate all but a ‘handful’ of serious cases.

Asked if he would apologise to innocent soldiers who have fallen victim to a witchhunt, he suggested the investigations were necessary. He replied: ‘Ihat (the Iraq Historical Allegations Team) was established in order to prevent this country being hauled in front of the International Criminal Court. We have to investigate these allegations.’ And he said it should be Russian forces who face prosecution at The Hague – which normally tries dictators for genocide – not British troops. But Sir Michael’s defence of the highly controversial inquiries was criticised by supporters of the hounded UK soldiers.

Tory MP Johnny Mercer, a former Army officer, said: ‘I understand what he is saying but there are others in this country that do not agree with that, including professors of law at Oxford University. It is possible to retrospectively legislate and limit human rights law by not applying it to the battle- field. It’s the least we owe these people.’

The Defence Secretary’s remarks in a briefing at the Ministry of Defence came amid concerns soldiers facing charges for alleged abuses in Iraq and Afghanistan could have to pay their legal fees. But Sir Michael pledged: ‘We will provide legal support without subsequent recovery costs.’

And he suggested Russian commanders should be probed for war crimes after twenty people died when an air strike destroyed the humanitarian convoy in Syria on Monday. Sir Michael said: ‘If it wasn’t a mistake then cer- tainly Russian commanders need to be held to account.’ But the Defence Secretary was criticised for not going far enough to back the hounded troops. Lawyer Hilary Meredith, who is supporting soldiers facing prosecution, said: ‘There needs to be more support for the Armed Forces. The way Ihat are going about their investigations is shocking.’

Meanwhile, Sir Michael said RAF warplanes had hit more than 100 targets in Mosul as the US-led coalition prepares for an operation to retake the Iraqi city from Islamic State ‘within weeks’.