Military police will review evidence of claims that SAS troops executed Taliban suspects in custody
- SAS troops admitted to the Daily Mail that illegal killings were ‘part of our job’
- BBC Panorama uncovered 54 suspicious killings in Afghanistan in 2010-2011
- Court documents suggest SAS commanders attempted to ‘cover up’ the killings
- The MoD said it was open to considering ‘any new evidence’ without obstruction
Evidence suggesting Special Air Service soldiers executed Taliban suspects in custody is to be reviewed by military police officers.
In a dramatic move last night, the Ministry of Defence announced it was asking those who may have materials or testimony to come forward.
It took the unusual step after SAS troops admitted to the Daily Mail that illegal killings were ‘part of our job’. One soldier said the truth about such incidents in Afghanistan would ‘rock everything’.
General Sir David Richards
Recently disclosed court documents have also suggested SAS commanders might have attempted to ‘cover up’ the killings by writing misleading reports.
Last night a BBC Panorama documentary claimed to have uncovered 54 suspicious killings in Afghanistan in 2010-2011. It also alleged SAS commander General Sir Mark Carleton-Smith failed to disclose crucial evidence about the deaths.
The MoD issued its request for new evidence hours after General Sir David Richards, a former Chief of the Defence Staff, insisted on a fresh inquiry. He added: ‘If I was still Chief of the Defence Staff I would order a thorough investigation of the events portrayed. I have no doubt that Admiral Sir Tony Radakin, the current CDS, will do this.’
The Royal Military Police’s investigation, Operation Northmoor, closed in 2019.
Last night, the MoD said it was open to considering ‘any new evidence’ without obstruction. A statement claimed that the Panorama documentary ‘jumps to unjustified conclusions from allegations which have already been fully investigated’.
It added: ‘We strongly object to this subjective reporting.’
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