Soldiers to be tried over Iraq death

The court martial of seven British paratroopers accused of killing an Iraqi civilian will begin on Monday, the Ministry of Defence said last night.

The group, serving and former soldiers from the 3rd Battalion, the Parachute Regiment, are jointly charged with murder and violent disorder.

The accused are Corporal Scott Evans, 32, Private Billy Nerney, 24, Private Samuel May, 25 and Private Morne Vosloo, 26, who are serving soldiers, and Daniel Harding, 25, Roberto Di-Gregorio, 24, and Scott Jackson, 26, who were all privates but are no longer in the army.

The charges relate to the death of Nadhem Abdullah following a roadside incident in May 2003 in Uzayr in eastern Iraq, between Basra and Amara to the north.

The area has witnessed some of the most violent and prolonged clashes between British troops and Iraqis.

The court martial will be heard in Colchester, Essex, before Judge Jeff Blackett.

The men will be tried for

‘a joint offence of murder and a second joint charge contrary to section 70 of the Army Act of violent disorder contrary to section 2 of the Public Order Act 1986’.

The court martial is one of number of cases facing British soldiers. Last month the attorney general, Lord Goldsmith, said three British soldiers would face trial for war crimes against Iraqi detainees under the jurisdiction of the international criminal court.

The three are part of a group of 11 servicemen facing a range of charges in two separate cases arising from alleged incidents in Basra in September 2003.

With acknowledgements to The Guardian