Scot faces investigation over SAS ‘mercy killing’ of enemy soldiers

● MOD reportedly began probe after seeing an advance copy of new book

An SAS veteran has defended the “mercy killing” of mortally wounded Iraqi soldiers after it was reported he faces a murder probe triggered by confessions made in a book.

Sergeant Colin Maclachlan, from Edinburgh, said his motive was “entirely humane” when he shot dead “two or three” fatally injured enemy combatants during the 2003 invasion.

The 42-year-old, who appeared in Channel 4 programme SAS: Who Dares Wins, said the injured soldiers were screaming in agony and “pleading for us to do it”.

Killing mortally wounded enemy soldiers on the battlefield to end their suffering out of mercy is illegal under UK military law and against standards laid down by the Geneva Conventions.

However Mr Maclachlan told a Sunday newspaper that the case showed the “harsh reality of combat” with ordinary servicemen who are put in positions of “extraordinary” decision-making.

He said: “Our motives were entirely humane. I’ll happily go to court, I’ll happily go to jail, if you think I’ve done wrong. But people should put themselves in my position first. Walk around in my boots, then judge me.”

The attack on three Iraqi

0 Sergeant Colin Maclachlan said his motives for shooting wounded Iraqis were ‘entirely humane’ army vehicles near the Syrian border in March 2003 features in SAS Who Dares Wins: Leadership Secrets From The Special Forces, to which Mr Maclachlan has contributed a chapter entitled “Handling The Dirty Work”.

After firing rockets at the enemy units, the SAS squad found two Iraqi soldiers who had been disembowelled and another who had lost three of his limbs. They were still alive.

“Special Forces operatives quickly put them out of their misery, rather than leaving them to die slowly and in agony,” he said in the book.

The Ministry of Defence (MOD) has procedures for considering manuscripts submitted for publication and reportedly launched an inquiry after receiving an advance copy.

According to reports, Mr Maclachlan was informed of an investigation by military police via email. An MOD spokeswoman refused to comment.