Gagged, soldiers trying to expose witch-hunt tactics

SIR Michael Fallon has been accused of ‘gagging’ a senior officer and three soldiers who planned to tell an inquiry how they were hounded by investigators over the Iraq war.

The soldiers and the commanding officer of a major now facing prosecution were banned from appearing before MPs on the orders of the Defence Secretary.

The soldiers, under investigation by the Iraq Historic Allegations Team, had planned to tell the Commons Defence Committee how they had been ‘left to rot’ by the Army.

The senior officer, who wanted to blow the whistle on tactics used by Ihat detectives, was also stopped by the Ministry of Defence from giving evidence.

One soldier wrote to Tory MP Johnny Mercer, a former Army captain, saying: ‘I have been gagged by the SoS (Secretary of State Sir Michael) from giving evidence to the committee.’

The MoD said ‘it is nonsense to suggest the military have been gagged’, adding it had a ‘long-standing’ policy that serving soldiers could not give evidence in a personal capacity.

But Mr Mercer said last night: ‘This is nonsense. They were told they would not be given permission to appear. We have highlighted the number of times soldiers have given evidence to a committee.’ The committee, which launched the inquiry after a Daily Mail campaign to end the witch- hunt against troops, held an initial hearing in June.

It can now be revealed that ministers will be hauled before the inquiry to give evidence. The Armed Forces Minister Mike Penning is due to appear, but Mr Mercer is demanding that both Sir Michael and the Chief of the General Staff, Sir Nick Carter, also give evidence.

The inquiry was intended to look at how troops hounded for incidents a decade ago could be better supported.

Soldiers volunteered to give evidence about what help the MoD offered those under investigation by Ihat. It is understood their testimony would have included accounts of how Ihat’s inquiries had destroyed the careers and shattered the mental health of some troops. But the soldiers were told the day before the session they had been barred from appearing, The Sunday Times reported.

After the ban, a major facing prosecution for manslaughter wrote to Sir Michael last month venting his frustration and volunteering to face a war crimes trial at The Hague.

‘ There is probably more chance of a fair and timely trial there, because in the UK there is no judicial process,’ he said. Corbyn backs Ihat probes

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