British soldier faces manslaughter charges over Afghanistan 'friendly fire' deat

[tigershark]

British soldier faces manslaughter charges over Afghanistan 'friendly fire' deaths
By Tamara Cohen
Last updated at 3:10 PM on 26th July 2008

A British soldier is reported to be facing manslaughter charges over the deaths of three comrades in a 'friendly fire' attack by American aircraft in Afghanistan.

The forward air controller is said to have given the wrong directions to long-range F-15 strike jets, which dropped a 500lb bomb killing the soldiers from 1 Royal Anglian Regiment.

Privates Robert Foster and Aaron McClure, both 19, and John Thrumble, 21, died in the disaster, and two of their comrades were seriously injured.
Following a probe, the soldier alleged to have wrongly directed the warplanes is said to have been formally warned he faces charges of manslaughter by 'gross negligence'.

The incident last August was the worst 'friendly fire' attack involving British forces in the country, bringing the death toll in Afghanistan to 50.

Reports suggest American planes were given the wrong co-ordinates for the position of Taliban fighters, and instead fired on British troops 1,000 metres away.
The soldiers were part of a 100-man patrol deployed to disrupt Taliban movements from their base near Kajaki, in northern Helmand province.

At about 6.30pm the patrol was attacked by Taliban fighters and came under heavy fire from automatic weapons and rocket-propelled grenades.

Six soliders from B Company occupied a deserted compound and called for a US air strike on the enemy.
But they watched in horror as the bomb intended for the Taliban headed towards them - their final moments captured on a soldier's headcam and passed to Sky news.

The two injured soldiers, including one critically ill, were evacuated by helicopter to the medical facility at Camp Bastion, bringing the regiment's death toll in Afghanistan to nine.

An Army Board of Inquiry was halted when video footage and radio transmissions provided by the Americans, revealed US forces were not to blame for the tragedy.

A probe was then carried out by Royal Military Police. Their findings may now be passed on to the Army Prosecuting Authority which has the power to bring charges against the soldier.

A Ministry of Defence spokesman said last night: 'The RMP investigation into the deaths of three British soldiers near Kajaki, Afghanistan, has concluded, and their report has been passed to the Chain of Command for their consideration.

'If the matter is referred to the independent Army Prosecuting Authority (APA), the APA will consider what, if any, action is to be taken, based upon the evidence and by applying normal prosecutorial tests. 

'The APA is under the general superintendence of the Attorney General.  Neither MOD, Ministers nor the chain of command play any part in such decisions.'

Eight British soldiers been killed in friendly fire attacks in Iraq . They include Lance Corporal Matty Hull, 25, who died when a US A-10 fired on two armoured vehicles in March 2003.

Source
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1038781/British-soldier-faces-manslaughter-charges-Afghanistan-friendly-deaths.html

[Gripen]

Their charging him? Pretty sure he did purposely give the wrong co-ordinates. It was probably an accident, and these things happen 

[tigershark]

That's why there charging him with manslaughter and not murder. 

[Webmaster]

Wow, what a bad accident, poor guy, he must feel terrible.

That's why there charging him with manslaughter and not murder. 

Yes I was about to say that as well, but it's not entirely accurate, only if... based on the MP's findings, it does go to the APA, then they could charge depending on the evidence.

Maybe the mistake was made somewhere in between the six at the compound and the FAC, a 100-man patrol, I can't imagine a group of privates having a direct line with the FAC then... but the FAC has the ultimate responsibility I guess, comes with the job.

US A-10 fired on two armoured vehicles in March 2003.

Last thing I read about that incident is that the pilot is still on active duty...? Mistaking Bradleys with orange identification markings for enemy vehicles with orange missiles, seems just as bad a mistake to make...

[tigershark]

There has been some very sad accidents it must be so hard on the families.  My comment was pointed at Gripen for his post I mean no disrespect to anybody involved.  I don't know if rank necessary has something to do with being a Forward Air Controller.  I assume some type of special training is needed maybe somebody knows who could explained it?

[Webmaster]

Yes, I know, but you said "they're charging him", but if you read the article, it's all "could be", "may", "have the power to".

Yes, special function, need to take training course; equipment, weapons, commands, procedures, responsibilities. I'm not saying being the FAC has something to do with rank. But what I meant was that with a 100 man patrol, it can't possibly be the individual private telling the FAC his location and where the enemy is, but the officer at another spot. With 100 guys there, I can't see a private requesting an air strike and the FAC would probably be somewhere remotely overlooking the area. If the officer would have given the FAC the wrong info on the position of his men and the enemy, the FAC is not too blame, at least not for 'gross negligence', but still carries the responsibility for directing the airstrike. I feel bad speculating about it, but that's a possibility which I meant with my reply, in which case he might not be charged by the APA.

[Gripen]

If he doesn't get charged, does it still go on his service record?