Tri-Service
Soldier Prosecutions: Should There Be A Time Limit?
Veterans from campaign group UK Veterans-One Voice have marched in London in protest against the prosecution of some British soldiers.
The campaigners are calling on the government to step in and stop “ambulance chasing” lawyers harrassing British troops.
A former British Army commander in Afghanistan, meanwhile, has questioned the number of cases of alleged abuse by soldiers currently being investigated by IHAT – the Iraq Historical Allegations Team.
Its chief, Mark Warwick, has said that there could be more than 1,200 cases to answer, where there is enough evidence to pursue criminal proceedings.
Some have expressed concern that these cases will impact on the battlefield, with soldiers going in to combat situations aware they could be held to account for their actions.
Colonel Richard Kemp says it’s "inconceivable" that that number of allegations against British troops could be legitimate.
In a statement the Defence Secretary, Michael Fallon, said:
"What we saw from cases like the Al-Sweady Inquiry was a completely unacceptable attempt to abuse our legal system to falsely impugn our armed forces.
"The bottom line is that every false claim diverts defence spending from the front line. It also hinders our troops’ ability to act in difficult operational situations."
"That’s why last year, we made a clear manifesto commitment to ensure that our armed forces are not subject to persistent legal claims that undermine their ability to do their job. We are now working to deliver precisely that."
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