Iraq soldiers ‘hung out to dry by the military’

Families interrogated at their homes and veterans hounded

BRITISH soldiers hounded over incidents in Iraq a decade ago were threatened with arrest at home and on military bases by taxpayerfunded detectives.

An inquiry prompted by a Daily Mail campaign heard yesterday how families were quizzed on their doorsteps.

And an ex-policeman working for the Iraq Historical Allegations Team (IHAT) turned up at a base to arrest an officer – acquitted of any wrongdoing ten years ago – with no legal power to do so.

New evidence of the ‘heavyhanded’ practices by the IHAT team came to light in a Defence Select Committee inquiry into the help given to servicemen facing a legal battle.

It heard soldiers were facing unprecedented action and had been ‘hung out to dry by the military’.

Hundreds have been hounded over their actions in the Iraq War more than a decade ago.

More than 1,500 claims of wrongdoing are being investigated by IHAT as part of a £57million inquiry.

The Mail has campaigned to halt the relentless persecution of soldiers who are facing multiple investigations into incidents from more than a decade ago.

Yesterday, lawyers representing the soldiers blamed a compensation culture, taxpayer-funded legal aid and warned of more to come relating to Afghanistan. Giving evidence, the Rev Nicholas Mercer, a chief legal officer during the Iraq War, said soldiers were facing action ‘like never before’. He added: ‘Every time you moved, there would either be an allegation or compensation claim.’

He said he had ‘kicked out’ some cases he described as bogus but was then quizzed by IHAT over his decisions. ‘On it goes for ever and ever,’ he added.

‘We are in a new legal paradigm. We started to see it in Northern Ireland that you had to conduct yourself really carefully because every time you moved there would either be an allegation or compensation claim.

‘Iraq is a sea change. For the first time we’ve entered a new legal world. You can’t magic it away through legislation. It is here to stay.’

Solicitor Hilary Meredith said soldiers came to her ‘very scared’ after being contacted by IHAT.

They believed they were being put in a vulnerable position by the military and many had suffered mental health problems because of it. She added: ‘One person refuses to leave his house and has lost all faith in anyone outside his home just as a result of a lack of support.’

Describing the IHAT investigators as ‘heavy-handed’, she said: ‘One person was acquitted within the military ten years ago and then was faced with arrest at the barracks gate.

‘The men left after being questioned by a senior officer.

The solicitor added: ‘There was no authority to arrest.’

In another case investigators appeared at an ex-girlfriend’s house and interviewed her on whether the soldier had tattoos, was abusive or talked in his sleep.

Mrs Meredith said the problem was fuelled by Iraqis lodging compensation claims that are ‘funded by British taxpayers’.

Another solicitor representing soldiers, Lewis Cherry, said that the practices of IHAT investigators were not ‘lawful’.

MP Johnny Mercer, who is leading the inquiry, said the investigation had got ‘completely out of hand’.

He added: ‘The people who are suffering are the people who always suffer, which is the men and women of the Armed Forces.’

More than 1,500 claims of wrongdoing or unlawful killing are being probed by Ihat – but this figure is expected to soar dramatically over the coming years. In certain cases war heroes have faced up to five probes for one incident alone.

Former police, recruited by an agency called Red Snapper, are being paid up to £1,300 a week to investigate soldiers for alleged crimes as a part of a 145-strong team based in Wiltshire.

MP John Spellar questioned the use of retired officers on gold plated pensions being used to carry out murder investigations.

He said: ‘These are civilian police who have retired on a pension and this is their post-pension job so they’ve got no interest in this inquiry ever finishing have they?’

The inquiry continues.

‘Investigation has got out of hand’