Army abuse allegations

A 13-year search for the truth

May 8, 2003

Ahmed Jabbar Kareem Ali, a 17-year-old boy, is detained in Basra accused of looting. It is alleged he is abused by British soldiers, driven to a canal and forced at gunpoint into the water where he drowns.

July 20, 2005

Four soldiers are charged with Ali’s manslaughter: Sgt Carle Selman, Guardsmen Martin McGing and Joseph McCleary, along with a 21-year-old lance corporal who is not named and is later acquitted.

June 6, 2006

Selman, McGing and McCleary are found not guilty by a jury panel of seven senior officers. McGing’s lawyer calls the prosecution “ill conceived” and soldiers complain they were made scapegoats.

September 23, 2008

Ali’s father launches a civil action against the UK Government for the death of his son. The family’s lawyers accuse the British military of a policy of “wetting” (forcing detainees into the water).

March 1, 2010

The Iraq Historic Allegations Team (Ihat) is set up by the Ministry of Defence as a result of a growing number of claims of abuse of Iraqi civilians by British troops. It begins a fresh investigation into Ali’s death.

November 3, 2015

Ihat says it has completed 14 out of 1,500 investigations, including Ali’s death. It decides to “discontinue any further work [as] there was no prospect of gaining any new or compelling evidence”.

December 23, 2015

Ministry of Defence asks the Iraq Fatality Investigations, headed up by a former High Court judge, to begin a new inquiry into Ali’s death. McCleary calls the new inquiry “vindictive”.