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July 3, 2004, Scotsman SCOTS SOLDIER FACES IRAQ TRIAL OVER SHOOTING OF A 13-YEAR-OLD Gethin Chamberlain, Defence Correspondent A SCOTTISH soldier faces a humiliating public trial in Iraq for the accidental shooting of a 13-year-old boy last year. Private Alexander Johnston, of the King's Own Scottish Borderers, was yesterday charged with unlawfully wounding the boy in an incident in al-Uzayr, south of the flashpoint town of al-Amarah in southern Iraq, last September. Army sources say that the charges to be faced at a court martial relate to an incident in al-Uzayr in which Pte Johnston's SA 80 rifle went off accidentally, injuring the boy. A source within the regiment said: "All the indications are that it was a tragic accident rather than a deliberate act. It looks like he failed to make the weapon safe at the end of his duty and what happened was a negligent discharge. He did not deliberately fire on the boy." Although the government says that the soldier could be taken back to Iraq for the court martial, he will not face charges in an Iraqi court. A spokeswoman for the Attorney General's office said: "The general approach is these things should be held in Iraq." Three US soldiers were also charged yesterday in connection with a separate incident north of Baghdad in January. The three will face manslaughter charges over the death by drowning of an Iraqi man who was forced to jump off a bridge into the Tigris River. The filing of charges against the troops may provide some assistance to the coalition in its continuing efforts to persuade ordinary Iraqis that its forces, and the interim Iraqi administration they are supporting, work to higher moral standards than the regime they ousted. But there are some concerns in the British army that a court martial in Iraq may inflame public opinion in the country after months of allegations about the abuse of civilians by coalition troops. The incident involving Pte Johnston is understood to have taken place while he was on guard duty. Details were announced in a written parliamentary statement by Lord Goldsmith, the Attorney General. He said Pte Johnston would be tried for unlawful wounding under Section 20 of the Offences Against the Person Act of 1861 over a shooting incident on 15 September last year. He could also face an alternative charge of negligent handling of a weapon. The charges carry a potential jail sentence or military detention. The Ministry of Defence declined to give details of how badly the boy was wounded. The charges came amid growing concern that the government is about to announce major cuts in Britain's armed forces. Army sources have told The Scotsman that an entire Scottish regiment is to be axed in 2006 and yesterday senior officers said they were deeply concerned about the proposed cuts. The Scottish National Party has thrown its weight behind a national campaign to save Scotland's regiments. Angus Robertson, the party's defence spokesman, said the armed forces were already overstretched. He added: "Scottish troops have a deserved reputation for professionalism and effectiveness wherever they work. Their skills and expertise are needed more than ever before in a time of instability and unease across the world. "The SNP are fully committed to do everything that we can to fight for the future of Scotland's historic regiments. It seems absurd that just when their services are needed most cutbacks like this are being touted." Pte Johnston is the fifth British soldier to be charged over events in Iraq. Four Royal Fusiliers already face court martial over allegations that they abused Iraqis. Charges against the four include assault and indecent assault.
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................................................................................................................. Copyright ©2004 Gethin Chamberlain. All rights reserved. |
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