History > 2007 > UK > Wars > Iraq (III)

Dave Brown        The Independent        27 April 2007

Prince Harry

http://www.guardian.co.uk/monarchy/story/0,,2066791,00.html

http://www.guardian.co.uk/monarchy/story/0,2763,1389376,00.html

http://www.princeofwales.gov.uk/personalprofiles/princeharry/

6.15pm

Britain's first war criminal jailed

Monday April 30, 2007
Guardian Unlimited
Steven Morris


The first British soldier ever to be convicted of a war crime was today jailed for a year and dismissed from the army.
Corporal Donald Payne brutally mistreated Iraqi hotel worker Baha Mousa, who died of his injuries at the hands of British soldiers, and other civilians held at a detention centre in Basra.

He punched and kicked the civilians when they were hooded and handcuffed and conducted what he called "the choir" striking the prisoners in sequence, their groans or shrieks making up the "music".

The judge, Mr Justice McKinnon, said what Payne, 36, did was "particularly harmful" to the reputation of British troops. He said it undermined the trust between British soldiers and Iraqi citizens, and could put the lives of other British service personnel at risk and hamper future operations.

But he also criticised Payne's superiors for not supervising him, expressing specific concern that "conditioning" techniques the soldiers used - including forcing prisoners to maintain painful "stress" positions while hooded and handcuffed - were standard operating procedure for the soldiers.

The judge said there had been a "serious failing in the chain of command all the way up to brigade and beyond."

Sitting with a board of seven senior army figures, the judge also highlighted that others involved in the violence had not been brought to justice and said it was "unacceptable" that it had taken so long - more than three and a half years - to get the case to court.

His barrister, Tim Owen QC, had urged the court martial not to make Payne, who will lose £300,000 in future earnings and his pension, a "sacrificial lamb". He said the father of three, who has been in the army for 18 years, was already living with the "stigma" of being a war criminal, a term that is associated with the Nuremberg trials.

After the hearing, Payne's solicitor, William Bache, said his client would be prepared to reveal who else had been involved in the violence. Payne felt he had been badly let down by the army and had been following the orders of senior officers.

The chief of the general staff, General Sir Richard Dannatt, said the investigation into Mr Mousa's death was not over. "We know how Mr Baha Mousa died. We do not yet know who was responsible." He said that further action might follow.

At the start of the court martial at Bulford in Wiltshire seven months ago, Payne and six other soldiers faced charges over the ill-treatment of Mr Mousa, 26, and the rest of the prisoners. The violence culminated with the death of Mr Mousa who suffered 93 injuries, including fractured ribs and a broken nose.

But the other soldiers, including Colonel Jorge Mendonca, the most senior officer brought before a court martial in modern times, were cleared. Payne was also found not guilty of the manslaughter of Mr Mousa.

However, Payne, who had been in the army for 18 years, admitted inhumanly (CORR) treating Iraqi civilians - a war crime under the International Criminal Court (ICC) Act 2001.

He was one of those in charge of a group of prisoners arrested after a raid on a hotel suspected of being a base for insurgents in Basra in September 2003.

The prisoners underwent "conditioning" to maintain the "shock of capture". One of the techniques used was to force them to hold a "stress position" - backs to the wall, knees bent, arms stretched parallel to the floor and hands cuffed in front of them.

But the court martial was told the "stress position" has been banned in the British army since 1972 following an investigation into interrogation techniques in Northern Ireland.

Payne also conducted what he called "the choir" for the "enjoyment and pleasure" of visitors to the detention centre.

For Payne, Mr Owen QC, said it was "distasteful" that Payne was the only soldier being sentenced for an episode in which many had been involved and when he was enforcing a "conditioning process" that had been approved by senior officers.

Mr Owen said there was a "very long list" of others who had "escaped" being brought before the court martial, adding that there had been a "closing of ranks". Some had been covering up their own misdeeds, while others had been unwilling to "dump" on their colleagues.

The judge intervened to flag up one group of soldiers who took over the guarding of the prisoners, under the control of a Lieutenant Craig Rodgers.

Mr Owen mentioned two soldiers, Sgt Ray Smulski and Colour Sergeant Robert Livesey, who have not been charged over the ill-treatment.

He said there was a "fundamental unfairness" that Payne was being punished when force - or the threat of force - was the only way to enforce the conditioning process.

    Britain's first war criminal jailed, G, 30.4.2007, http://www.guardian.co.uk/military/story/0,,2069111,00.html

6.15pm

Confirmed: Harry will serve in Iraq

Monday April 30, 2007
Guardian Unlimited
Matt Weaver and agencies


Prince Harry will be sent to Iraq, the chief of the general staff, General Sir Richard Dannatt, confirmed today.
There had been mounting speculation that the young prince, an officer with the Blues and Royals, would not see service in the Middle East after 12 British soldiers died in Iraq during April.

Sir Richard, who first announced in February that the prince would serve in the Iraq, told Sky News: "I, as chief of the general staff, will take the decision and have taken the decision as to whether he should or should not deploy.

"And I do so as chief of the general staff and having full command of every member of the army, including Prince Harry.

"Second, the decision has been taken he will deploy. Third, I will of course keep that decision continually under review, and if circumstances are such that I change that decision, I will make a further statement."

His comments came after the home secretary, John Reid, said yesterday it was up to the army to decide whether the prince should fight in Iraq.

Last week it was reported that worsening violence in the country had prompted a review of the decision to send the prince to Iraq. Last Thursday the Sun reported that if he did go he would be given a "desk job" away from the frontline.

Yesterday the Observer revealed that special forces have already been sent to Iraq to provide protection for his tour of duty.

One military source told the paper: "The probability of Harry becoming a victim is incredibly slim."

Confirmed: Harry will serve in Iraq, G, 30.4.2007, http://www.guardian.co.uk/Iraq/Story/0,,2069119,00.html

3.30pm

MoD names soldier killed

in Basra shooting

Monday April 30, 2007
Agencies
Guardian Unlimited

A British soldier killed by small arms fire while on patrol in southern Iraq was today named as Rifleman Paul Donnachie.

The 18-year-old, of 2nd Battalion the Rifles, was killed in the al-Ashar district of Basra on Sunday, the Ministry of Defence said.

Rifleman Donnachie, from Reading, in Berkshire, was shot by an "opportunist" gunman after getting out of his vehicle to check the route.

He had been carrying out routine checks when he was shot at around 9.30am and was evacuated to Basra Palace, where he later died.

This month has been the bloodiest for the British army in Iraq since 2003, with 12 personnel having been killed.

The total number of British fatalities since hostilities began stands at 146.

    MoD names soldier killed in Basra shooting, G, 30.4.2007, http://www.guardian.co.uk/Iraq/Story/0,,2069029,00.html

Serving British soldier exposes

horror of war in 'crazy' Basra

Published: 27 April 2007
The Independent
By Terri Judd

A British soldier has broken ranks within days of returning from Iraq to speak publicly of the horror of his tour of duty there, painting a picture of troops under siege, "sitting ducks" to an increasingly sophisticated insurgency.

"Basra is lost, they are in control now. It's a full-scale riot and the Government are just trying to save face," said Private Paul Barton.

The 27-year-old, who returned from his second tour of Iraq this week along with other members of 1st Battalion, the Staffordshire Regiment, insisted that he remains loyal to the Army despite such public dissent. He said he had already volunteered to go to Afghanistan later this year.

But, he said, he felt strongly that somebody had to speak out: "I want people to see it as it is; not the sugar-coated version."

His public protest is a sign of the groundswell of anger among the troops, and predictions that more will come forward to break the traditional covenant of silent service. Just last month, Pte Steve Baldwin, 22, a soldier in the same regiment, spoke to The Independent about the way he had been "pushed aside" since being injured by a roadside bomb which killed three others during the Staffords' first tour of Iraq in 2005.

And on Monday, Cpl Richard Bradley also chose to air his views on television: "Blokes are dying for no cause at all and blokes are getting injured for no cause at all."

Reacting to Pte Barton's comments, many soldiers on websites appeared stunned but in agreement. One said: "When I arrived back last year, I was utterly depressed by what I had seen out there and the lack of any progress ... any journo sticking a microphone in my grid would have been given enough soundbites to retire on. And I would probably be in the Tower of London.

"I can only imagine that the situation 12 months on is even worse, and it would not surprise me if this is repeated over the coming months by more guys coming back from their third and fourth tours to that midden."

Pte Barton felt so strongly that he telephoned his local paper, the Tamworth Herald, to speak of the "side you don't hear".

The regiment lost one soldier, Pte Johnathon Wysoczan, 21, during its tour, but 33 more were injured. "I was the first one to get to one of the tents after it was hit, where one of my mates was in bed. The top of his head and his hand was blown off. He is now brain damaged.

"We were losing people and didn't have enough to replace them. You hear about the fatalities but not the injuries. We have had four who got shot in the arm, a bloke got blown up twice by roadside bombs and shot in the neck and survived."

Most, he said, endured at least one "lucky escape" during their tour. "I had a grenade chucked at me by practically a five-year-old kid. I had a mortar land a couple of metres from me."

The regiment was based in the Shatt al-Arab hotel base, which was handed over to the Iraqi army on 8 April. Of the 40 tents in the base, just five remained unscathed by the end of the tour, he said. "We were just sitting ducks ... On the last tour we were not mortared very often. This tour, it was two to three times a day. Fifteen mortars and three rockets were fired at us in the first hour we were there."

He added: "Towards the end of January to March, it was like a siege mentality. We were getting mortared every hour of the day. We were constantly being fired at. We basically didn't sleep for six months. You couldn't rest. Psychologically, it wore you down.

"Every patrol we went on we were either shot at or blown up by roadside bombs. It was crazy."

He insisted that the insurgents appeared to be considerably better trained, funded and equipped than had been the case during their first tour of duty.

"Last tour, I never fired my rifle once. This time, I fired 127 rounds on five different occasions. And, in my role [providing medical support], I shouldn't have to fire." He added: "We have overstayed our welcome now. We should speed up the withdrawal. It's a lost battle. We should pull out and call it quits."

    Serving British soldier exposes horror of war in 'crazy' Basra, I, 27.4.2007, http://news.independent.co.uk/world/middle_east/article2488848.ece

Doubts raised over Prince Harry's

war-zone posting deployment to Iraq

Published: 27 April 2007
The Independent
By Kim Sengupta

The question of whether Prince Harry will be sent to Iraq, and whether he will resign from the Army if he is not sent, was mired in confusion yesterday. The Ministry of Defence said it was reviewing the issue of the Prince's deployment to Iraq after a rise in attacks against British troops and threats by insurgents to abduct him and cut off his ears.

According to one report, friends of the Prince - who is third in line to the throne - have said he will quit the Army if he is not sent. The claim was dismissed by the BBC's royal correspondent who said the friends had denied this was the case and insisted that the Prince will continue to serve.

Tony Blair, meanwhile, told reporters that he would be delighted if his son offered to serve in Iraq. This has caused a degree of puzzlement at the Ministry of Defence as none of the Prime Minister's children are known to be in the armed forces.

The controversy over the Prince's deployment surfaced yesterday with the news that senior officers are reconsidering whether the Prince, a 2nd lieutenant, should be sent to Iraq as this may make him a target.

In one of the bloodiest months for British forces in the country since the invasion, 11 service personnel have been killed this April.

In Maysan province, where the Prince and other members of the Blues and Royals are due to serve, two soldiers died last week when their reconnaissance vehicle was hit by a roadside bomb.

One option would be for the Prince to go to Iraq but not undertake any combat duty. However, in 2005 he said: "There is no way I am going to put myself through Sandhurst and then sit on my arse back home while my boys are fighting for their country.''

If the deployment does take place, the Prince will be the first member of the Royal Family to serve in a war zone since the Duke of York flew helicopters during the Falklands conflict 25 years ago. An MoD spokeswoman said yesterday: "Prince Harry's deployment to Iraq is, as we have always said, under constant consideration.

"It is still our intent that Prince Harry will deploy as a troop leader.''

    Doubts raised over Prince Harry's war-zone posting deployment to Iraq, I, 27.4.2007, http://news.independent.co.uk/world/middle_east/article2488851.ece

Joan Bakewell:

Prince Harry can't really

do his duty in Iraq

This young man of 22, vigorous and enthusiastic,

is faced with the frustration of all his hopes

Published: 27 April 2007
The Independent

He's eager, he's available, he's qualified, and he's a prince. That means if Prince Harry goes to fight in Iraq he'll be a target, a risk, a liability and a headache. Prince Harry and the Army now find themselves in a no-win situation, and, let's face it, that's not what soldiering is about.

Did nobody think of this when career plans were being laid? For the heir to the throne to have two sons who've both decided to make the military their career seems deliberately perverse. Neither will ever be able to fulfil their role as officers in exactly the same way as their fellow soldiers. It's just not possible. They are royal and privileged; they are pampered and favoured; they are emblematic icons, while others are simply ordinary fellows trained in warfare. As parental career guidance it rates as rock bottom.

Shakespeare knew all about kings at war. Throughout the history plays, a king bearing arms is consistently the deliberate target of his enemies. As the great sequence comes to an end, Richard III, cornered and screaming, "A horse, a horse, my kingdom for a horse ..." is finally and ignominiously slaughtered, bringing his dynastic line crashing down with him.

The death of a king is that momentous. When Henry V - known to his soldiery, appropriately enough, as Harry of England - disguises himself and wanders his camp as an ordinary soldier, he hears the truth at first hand: an ordinary squaddie declares, "I would he were here alone. So should he be sure to be ransomed and a many poor men's lives saved."

For all his well-meaning intentions to be just as any other soldier, Prince Harry is different. His eagerness to serve in the front line, leading his men, is honourable and impossible. Consider the range of differences that apply in his case. Going out into the front line, Prince Harry can be assured of the very best kit, fully served with the latest in protective equipment.

There will be no wretched phone calls home about the inadequacy of his stuff or the need to supply his own boots. The vehicle he uses will be the best protected, the most thoroughly serviced. The route it takes will be tracked, the time of its return anticipated with relief by his superiors. There will be commendations for those who see him through it all, and more than normal relief when his term of duty comes to an end.

Were he to be wounded in action, the best of medical facilities will attend on him and the subject of his injuries be a matter of national interest and attention. Sneak photographs taken by the mobile phones of hospital orderlies will be sold round the world before a public enquiry as to how such dastardly behaviour could have been allowed. Should he need them, there is no question that the best of surgeons will be available, and on his return he will not be dumped in public hospital wards where other patients who disapprove of the Iraq war can come and remonstrate with him.

Were he taken prisoner or hostage, the mantra "we do not negotiate with terrorists" would be swiftly revised. Those responsible would have scored an amazing international coup and could set their own agenda as to how it was resolved. With such lavish options open to them, they would surely quarrel among themselves, delaying and confusing the outcome.

Meanwhile, snatch squads of our own, possibly with aid from Mossad, would make plans for dashing raids of heroic proportions, all of whose participants would claim that, following recent precedents, they should be allowed to sell their stories to the tabloids. Meanwhile Harry would return to a hero's welcome, and the troops in Iraq would relax their vigilance, leaving themselves open to instant opportunistic attacks.

This, as the military have now realised, is no way to fight a war. The insurgents have realised that too, making it known that the Prince himself would be the battleground.

Such declared targeting was not the case when his uncle Prince Andrew served as a helicopter pilot in the Falklands war. That was an old-fashioned confrontational fight between two armies. But Middle East wars are more elusive, more insidious and, for serving royals, more deadly. The only possibility of Prince Harry fulfilling his proper duty would have been for him to have gone in secret, served anonymously and returned from duty before the whole thing became known. Such is the double track of both royalty and celebrity that is currently the Prince's lot in life, that that was never conceivable.

Now we have a young man of 22, vigorous and enthusiastic, faced with the frustration of all his hopes. This is not what any family could wish for their child. Given Prince Harry's freedom with his fists and with drink, it could well result in further brawls and unhappiness.

Judging from blogs, the public is speaking out strongly in favour of his going to Iraq: "It's what he signed up to"; "He's trained, let him serve"; "His credibility as an officer is on the line." With only the occasional traditionalist: "The Royal Family are the backbone of society in this country ... its time we saw sense, and kept Prince Harry safe."

So whatever the outcome - front line or desk job, resignation from the Army or ham-strung career - opinions on whether he should go or not will be filling chat shows and column inches for a good while yet.

    Joan Bakewell: Prince Harry can't really do his duty in Iraq, I, 27.4.2007, http://comment.independent.co.uk/columnists_a_l/joan_bakewell/article2488792.ece

Prince Harry will be sent to Iraq

despite misgivings over security

· Clarence House denies influencing military
· Decision could still be reversed at last minute

Friday April 27, 2007
Guardian
Richard Norton-Taylor

Prince Harry will be deployed with his regiment, the Blues and Royals of the Household Cavalry, on the frontline in south-eastern Iraq next month despite concerns among military commanders that he might attract fire from insurgents and rogue elements within Shia militias.

That was the message last night from the Ministry of Defence, but officials did not rule out a late decision to leave the prince at home when his regiment begins its tour, whatever the consequences for his army career. Clarence House said it would not seek to influence the military on the matter. Friends of the prince have denied reports that he would leave the army if he was not allowed to accompany his men to Iraq but they told the BBC he would be "very disappointed" if he were kept away from the battlefield.

In a statement the MoD said: "Prince Harry's deployment to Iraq is, as we have always said, under constant consideration. It is still our intention that Prince Harry will be deployed as a troop leader."

A defence official said: "He would fulfill the normal role of a troop leader going out on patrol but spend a certain amount of time behind a desk". The prince is likely to be assigned a special "minder", probably an experienced non-commissioned officer though not a member of the special forces, defence sources have said.

The official said a decision to keep the prince at home while his regiment went to Iraq would provide insurgents with a "tremendous propaganda coup". Such a decision would be taken after discussions with General Sir Richard Dannatt, the head of the army, and almost certainly with Prince Charles and the Queen.

Prince Harry's uncle, the Duke of York, the last member of the royal family to be deployed in a conflict on the frontline, said after the Falklands war that his position in the navy would have been "untenable" if he had not seen action in the South Atlantic.

Sir John Nott, Tory defence secretary during the Falklands war, said yesterday he had been "very much in favour" of Prince Andrew serving in the Falklands, despite "hesitation" from Margaret Thatcher.

But he said yesterday: "I think the situation with Prince Harry is different because the Iraq war is much more fraught. There was complete public support for the Falklands campaign; there certainly isn't for Iraq. The danger is that Prince Harry will be hazarding the lives of other soldiers ... and I think that's not right."

Speculation over the prince's deployment coincided with the return to Britain yesterday of the bodies of three servicemen killed in Iraq. Among them were the bodies of Corporal Ben Leaning and Trooper Kristen Turton of the Queen's Royal Lancers. They were in a Scimitar armoured vehicle, similar to those used by the Blues and Royals, when they were killed by a roadside bomb.

MoD officials said yesterday that the publicity surrounding Prince Harry's prospective tour was not helpful. Their concern were echoed by Bad CO, an administrator of Arsse an unofficial army website, who said: "I'm a dyed in the wool republican so this isn't been done because I'm a big fan of the monarchy. However, the two princes are as entitled to the same confidentiality we would afford any other serving soldier or officer. Any 'leaking' of information or gossip about the princes ... will be ruthlessly deleted ... "

This month has the been the bloodiest for the British army in Iraq since 2003 with 11 soldiers killed. Defence sources said they had no ready explanation for the surge but one theory is that insurgents are more confident that more attacks will hasten the withdrawal of British troops.

Meanwhile defence officials said no action would be taken against Corporal Richard Bradley of the Staffordshire Regiment, who told the 10 o'clock news on BBC One this week that the time had come to withdraw forces from Iraq. A defence official said: "The corporal is entitled to his views," but added that the corporal was "not qualified" to comment on policy.

Deadliest month


April has been the bloodiest month for British personnel since the Iraq conflict began in 2003, with 11 deaths bringing the overall toll to 145.


April 1 Kingsman Danny John Wilson, 28, of The Duke of Lancaster's Regiment was hit by small arms fire during a patrol in Basra City.


April 2 Rifleman Aaron Lincoln, 18, died from small arms fire in the Al Ashar district of central Basra.


April 5 Four British soldiers were killed in an ambush in southern Iraq: Second Lieutenant Joanna Dyer, 24, of the Intelligence Corps; Corporal Kris O'Neill, 27, from the Royal Army Medical Corps; Private Eleanor Dlugosz, 19, also of the RAMC; and Kingsman Adam Smith, 19, of The Duke of Lancaster's Regiment.


April 15 RAF Sergeant Mark McLaren, 27, of Ashington, Northumberland, and Colour Sergeant Mark Powell of the Parachute Regiment died when their Puma transport helicopters collided north of Baghdad.


April 19 Corporal Ben Leaning, 24, and Trooper Kristen Turton, 28, were killed while carrying out a patrol in the southern province of Maysan.


April 23
Kingsman Alan Joseph Jones, 20, of The Duke of Lancaster's Regiment died after coming under small arms fire in the Al Ashar district.

    Prince Harry will be sent to Iraq despite misgivings over security, G, 27.4.2007, http://www.guardian.co.uk/monarchy/story/0,,2066791,00.html

Another sacrifice for us all to remember

Kingsman Alan Jones was killed, aged 20, in Iraq this week, just one of the 145 British soldiers who have died in this ill-conceived conflict. His death went largely unnoticed in the bloodiest month endured by British soldiers - another grim statistic, another coffin sent home, another grieving family, another young man who died in vain

Published: 26 April 2007
The Independent
By Kim Sengupta and Ian Herbert

There has been no fanfare for Alan Jones, a young British soldier who set off for Iraq with determination and purpose five months ago, but who is now to be flown home in a coffin.

There were pockets of grief yesterday in his home city of Liverpool, where friends and family mourned the man they called "the soul of the platoon" . There were the thoughts of a mother who had been preparing for her son's 21st birthday party, but who instead must now bury him.

To the rest of the world, Kingsman Jones, who was killed during a " routine" patrol in Basra, will be just one more coffin in a long procession. His death takes the British toll in the conflict to 112 since President George Bush officially declared victory in Iraq. Eleven soldiers have been killed in April alone, the heaviest toll since the invasion in 2003. The country has not the time to mourn them all as they deserve.

Major-General Julian Thompson, the officer who led the Royal Marines in the Falklands, said the muted response to his death was a sign that the British people were becoming sanitised to the now-commonplace deaths of UK soldiers .

"I am afraid it is the case that people are becoming numbed by what is happening in Iraq," said Maj-Gen Thompson. "The forces were sent into a war which a lot of us disagreed with and a lot of those serving in Iraq have deep reservations about. They have been sent into an unpopular war by this government, but it would be a terrible shame if the public forgot what they are going through."

Admiral Sir Alan West, the head of the Royal Navy at the time of the Iraq invasion, echoed his concerns.

"The sheer scale of what is going on in Iraq does mean that it becomes 'yet another death' in that country. Our soldiers are doing their duty under the most difficult of circumstances. But whatever the rights or wrongs of how the war started, pulling out too quickly would probably lead to even more violence."

But to those who grew up with Kingsman Jones in the streets of Dovecot, in east Liverpool, his life - and death - have been anything but ordinary. Most remembered him yesterday for the same reasons that communities across the country have remembered so many of the fallen: his love of football - both playing and watching his favourite team, Everton - and his pride in the Army.

"It gave him confidence, somehow, gave him a presence we'd not seen before," one friend said yesterday.

"Alan loved the Army," said Amanda Jamieson, 26, a school friend. " He had loads of pictures in which he was standing in his uniform. He had been in the Army since he was a teenager."

His pride in his role in the 2nd Battalion, the Duke of Lancaster's Regiment, was there for all to see last July when, to mark the regiment's creation from the merger of the local Kings' Regiment and two others, he and five other soldiers met the Lord Mayor of Liverpool, Joan Lang, at Liverpool Town Hall. His enthusiasm, unmissable in the photographs taken that day, was infectious, according to Ms Lang. "It was an honour to meet them," she said.

In the same photograph is Kingsman Adam Smith, who lived two miles from Kingsman Jones and who shared his fanaticism for Everton. He, too, died this month, when his tank was blown up by a roadside bomb on 5 April.

The confidence that the Army brought out in "Jonesy", as the reconnaissance platoon knew him, was remembered by his comrades yesterday. " He was a character who was a joy to be around," said one. "He was the soul of the platoon and always liked to be the centre of attention." His commanding officer, Lieutenant-Colonel Mark Kenyon, remembered his loyalty to his regiment and his friends. "Above all, he was a cheerful and likeable young man who always had time to help others," he said.

Captain Mike Peel was struck by his appetite for "soldiering at the sharp end". He said Kingsman Jones, who joined the Army in August 2003, was always willing to assist others.

The ambush that cost Kingsman Jones his life happened in the Al-Ashar district, near the offices of Basra's regional government. According to the British Government it is now "mission accomplished" in southern Iraq and security is being handed over to the Iraqis.

Yesterday, the Shaibah logistics base was the latest to be passed to the Iraqi authorities. Basra Palace, where Kingsman Jones died, is due for transfer in the autumn.

The reality on the ground is that southern Iraq and its immense oil wealth is being fought over by rival Shia militias, the Mehdi Army and the Badr Brigade, with both sets of fighters also carrying out attacks on British forces.

Britain and the US have repeatedly blamed Iran for supplying weapons to kill and maim British and American troops.

The Army is in the process of shipping new armoured vehicles to Iraq and Afghanistan after repeated complaints that current ones were too vulnerable to the new type of charges.

But one attack recently casts doubt on whether the new armoured cars would provide adequate protection. A 62-tonne Challenger tank was severely damaged by a roadside bomb during another patrol. The driver is believed to have lost a leg.

Kingsman Jones's mother Julie, younger brother Reese and girlfriend Lauren were said to be inconsolable yesterday, as they awaited the repatriation of his body. "They were preparing for his 21st," said a member of staff at a beauticians in Dovecot. "How can his mum bear that thought, now she will have to bury him?"

19 April

CORPORAL BEN LEANING, 24
SCUNTHORPE
THE QUEEN'S ROYAL LANCERS

Described as a model of a modern formation reconnaissance soldier, Bill, as he was known, was killed while when his armoured vehicle was bombed. Major Charlie Ball said: "His mischievous smile shone through even under the most trying circumstances and he was an inspiration to his crew and the squadron as a whole."

19 April

TROOPER KRISTEN TURTON, 27
GRIMSBY
THE QUEEN'S ROYAL LANCERS

Killed by a roadside bomb in Maysan province, "Turts" was a quiet man with a dry sense of humour who worked tirelessly for his friends and colleagues. Trooper Turton felt his finest achievement was his marriage to Sharon. She said: "He was kind, generous and was always able to make everyone smile."

15 April

COLOUR SERGEANT MARK POWELL, 37
SOUTH WALES
PARACHUTE REGIMENT

Killed when two Puma helicopters crashed north of Baghdad. The exemplary combat leader was described as selfless, never shirking danger in the pursuit of a mission. "His example will inspire us all for years to come," said colleagues.

15 April

SERGEANT MARK MCLAREN, 27
ASHINGTON
ROYAL AIR FORCE

He was killed when two Puma helicopters crashed north of Baghdad. Sgt McLaren - a father of two boys - always performed at the "top of his game and it was a pleasure to fly with him," said Wing Cdr Chris Hunter, the officer commanding 230 Squadron.

5 April

SECOND LIEUTENANT JOANNA YORKE DYER, 24
YEOVIL
INTELLIGENCE CORPS

Killed when the Warrior armoured vehicle she was travelling in was hit by a roadside bomb west of Basra city. Second Lt Dyer was described as a charming officer with boundless enthusiasm and a thirst for knowledge. Friends remember her as a generous individual.

5 April

CORPORAL KRIS O'NEILL, 27
CATTERICK
ROYAL ARMY MEDICAL CORPS

Killed when the Warrior armoured vehicle he was travelling in was hit by a roadside bomb. Cpl O'Neill was an experienced and confident medic with an unflappable nature who could always be relied upon. The father of two small boys, he impressed friends with his kind and gentle nature.

5 April

PRIVATE ELEANOR DLUGOSZ, 19
SOUTHAMPTON
ROYAL ARMY MEDICAL CORPS

Killed when hit by a roadside bomb west of Basra. Pte Dlugosz gained the respect of the soldiers she patrolled with, and was held in high regard by colleagues. She was capable and unassuming; her troop commander, Second Lt Vinny Ramshaw RAMC, said she was "a strong and morally courageous young woman".

5 April

KINGSMAN ADAM SMITH, 19
THE ISLE OF MAN
2ND BATTALION, THE DUKE OF LANCASTER'S REGIMENT

Killed when his vehicle was hit by a roadside bomb west of Basra. " Smudge" was known for his coolness under pressure. Capt Mike Peel, of the Reconnaissance Platoon, said: "His cheerful nature marked him out as a constant source of morale and strength in times of difficulty."

2 April

RIFLEMAN AARON LINCOLN, 18
DURHAM
2ND BATTALION, THE RIFLES

Killed by small arms fire close to Basra Palace base. "Lincs" was proud of his family's heritage in the Durham Light Infantry. Lt Col Justin Maciejewski said: "In a society ... so obsessed with self, money, and celebrity Rifleman Lincoln's short life amounted to something much more profound."

1 April

KINGSMAN DANNY WILSON, 28
WORKINGTON
2ND BATTALION, THE DUKE OF LANCASTER'S REGIMENT

Killed by gunfire after dismounting from his armoured vehicle during a security patrol. Kingsman Wilson is remembered for his enthusiasm and infectious humour. The father of a young boy, he ensured new platoon members settled in.

    Another sacrifice for us all to remember, I, 26.4.2007, http://news.independent.co.uk/world/middle_east/article2486638.ece

Harry is militia target in Iraq,

admits army


Mark Townsend
Sunday April 22, 2007
The Observer


Iraqi militia groups have drawn up detailed plans to seize Prince Harry as a hostage when he arrives in Iraq next month, The Observer can reveal.

Some of the most notorious paramilitary factions in southern Iraq claim they have informants placed inside British military barracks in Iraq monitoring the third in line to the throne.

The claims call into question the Ministry of Defence's decision to allow Harry to serve in Iraq where he and his unit will be seen as a valuable target.

Last night an MoD spokesman said: 'We have not concealed the fact that he [Harry] is going out there and the bad guys know that he's coming, and we expect that they will consider him a high-profile scalp.'

Despite the threats, Whitehall officials ruled out the possibility that the prince might not be sent to Maysan, the most volatile province in southern Iraq, where British casualties are mounting.

Harry will serve with the Blues and Royals for a six-month tour of duty. He is trained as a troop leader to take command of four Scimitars and will be deployed in Iraq alongside 11 men who will serve under him.

Militia leaders claim that photographs of Harry have already been downloaded from the internet and disseminated to insurgent groups.

    Harry is militia target in Iraq, admits army, O, 22.4.2007, http://observer.guardian.co.uk/uk_news/story/0,,2062970,00.html

Harry 'the mother of all targets' in Iraq


The scale of risk facing Prince Harry when he goes to Iraq
is revealed in a remarkable series of exclusive interviews
with insurgent leaders on both sides. By Mark Townsend

The Observer
Sunday April 22, 2007


Prince Harry was left under no illusions of his value as a scalp for Iraqi insurgents. Even so, senior military officers could never have predicted the sheer scale of and nature of the threats lying in wait.

Iraqi militia groups have already hatched detailed plans to seize him as a hostage when he arrives in Iraq next month. In a remarkable series of interviews, some of the most notorious paramilitary factions in southern Iraq claim that informants placed inside British military barracks in Iraq have received orders to 'track' the movements of the third in line to the throne.

The claims again question the Ministry of Defence's decision to allow Harry to serve in Iraq where he and his unit will be seen as a valuable target to those attacking US and British forces.

Last night a Ministry of Defence spokesman said: 'We have not concealed the fact that he is going out there and the bad guys know that he's coming and we expect that they will consider him a high-profile scalp.' Despite the threats, Whitehall officials ruled out the possibility of the prince not being sent to Maysan, the most volatile province in southern Iraq, where attacks against British forces are mounting.

He will serve with his regiment, the Blues and Royals, for a six-month tour of duty. He is trained as a troop leader to take command of four Scimitar armoured reconnaissance vehicles and will be deployed in Iraq alongside 11 men who will serve under him.

One senior army officer who has completed three tours of duty in Basra, confirmed yesterday that Harry's imminent arrival in Iraq was causing 'disquiet at senior levels' within the military. He warned that those around him, particular those under Harry's direct command, could be at an increased risk: 'Wherever they place him in theatre, the concern is it will attract fire towards everyone on the ground.'

He described Harry, who says he does not want to 'sit on my arse back home while my boys are out fighting for their country', as the 'mother of all targets'.

Militia leaders claim photographs of Harry have already been downloaded from the internet and disseminated to the main insurgent groups in the area where the prince will be deployed.

Snipers belonging to Shia militia groups have, they claim, been ordered to target the 22-year-old while Sunni insurgents say they plan to hold the prince hostage to demand the release of prisoners and immediate withdrawal of British troops.

Together the testimonies suggest that Shia and Sunni paramilitary forces, traditionally sworn enemies, have joined forces to try to capture Harry, a deeply disquieting development for British senior officers.

Although some of the testimony may be bluster, there will be clearly be a concerted campaign to try to disrupt the prince's tour of duty.

Abu Zaid, commander of the Malik Ibn Al Ashtar Brigade of the notorious Mehdi Army militia, said: 'We are awaiting the arrival of the young, handsome, spoilt prince with baited breath and we confidently expect he will come out into the open on the battlefield.

'We will be generous with him. For he will return him to his grandmother [the Queen] but without ears,' added Zaid, a senior figure within the largest and strongest Shia militia group operating where British troops are deployed. We have printed out many photographs of him from the internet and given them to all other groups.

'They know the prince is their main objective and I have every confidence he will be targeted and attacked.'

Abu Samir, a leader of the Iranian-backed Sunni group Thar-allah - meaning God's revenge - added: 'Our people are ready to welcome him in their special way - like Leachman.' This was a reference to a British officer Colonel Gerard Leachman who was murdered by Sheikh Dhari, a tribal leader, in Iraq in 1920. Dhari is still considered by many Iraqis as a hero. While news of his death shocked the British public, it is credited with inspiring Arab tribes to revolt against Western occupying forces.

Samir added it would be impossible for Harry to avoid detection once in Iraq, describing his face as more familiar to Iraqis than world-famous footballers.

'His face is now very familiar to a lot of people - more so even than Zidane and Ronaldinho,' said Samir, a senior figure of the Iranian-financed religious party that set up offices across southern Iraq after the invasion.

Abu, a Sunni insurgent commander and former major in the Iraqi army, said that they had insiders supplying a 'constant' flow of information from within UK military barracks.

He said: 'When they [the British] first arrived in Basra, we planted our people inside the British bases and headquarters, and it is these people who are now our constant source of information.

'They have new orders to track Prince Harry's movements. Once we have that information we will make appropriate plans to capture him. Wherever the British army decides to keep the prince we will find him.'

Another senior Sunni militia source said: 'Plans [to abduct] are already in place. As soon as the prince arrives, the race will be on to seize him as a trophy and then to decide his fate.'

Such comments suggest that any hopes that Harry would blend in among the 7,100 British service personnel currently stationed in Iraq already appear misplaced. Among the thousands of pictures of Harry militias claim to have distributed are thought to include images of Harry on a battle tank during training. Others feature the prince fishing in Scotland with Prince Charles and Prince William along with images of the family during their annual skiing holiday in Klosters, Switzerland.

Zaid, who commands an arm of Muqtada al-Sadr's Mehdi Army which has been responsible for attacks against British troops, said that if plans to abduct the prince failed then militias would try and assassinate the prince. He said: 'Our sniper teams have also been issued with pictures so they will know his face long before he arrives in our land.

'I would like to advise him [Harry] to stay at home among his friends. He should learn a serious lesson what is happening to British soldiers in Basra and I would like him to think 100 times before boarding a plane for Iraq.'

Last week two soldiers, members of the Queen's Royal Lancers battle group, died after their Scimitar light tank was struck by a roadside bomb in Maysan province.

Ten British soldiers have died in Iraq this month, including two women, making it the worst month since the invasion. The total number of British dead is now 144. However, despite the deteriorating situation, Prince Harry will not receive extra security in Iraq. 'He's surrounded by a lot of heavily-armed men,' said a Whitehall source yesterday.

Clarence House is being briefed regularly by the MoD.

One prominent member of the insurgency indicated that Harry might also be targeted by militias for religious reasons. Abu Ahmed, another commander within the Mehdi Army, said: 'He should follow his mother, Diana, and rebel against the imperialistic family and not come here as a crusader, or his blood will flow into our desert.'

Although MoD officials will not comment on specific intelligence relating to threats against the prince, a spokesman confirmed that they were 'monitoring security considerations on the ground'.

Experts believe the international media coverage towards Iran's capture of the 15 British soldiers and Marines from the Shatt al Arab waterway in March will have underlined the value of taking Harry hostage. One Iraqi said that, if captured, the prince would be used as a bargaining chip to trade for captured Sunni insurgents and to call for the removal of British forces.

He said: 'I hope we succeed so that we can negotiate the release of our brothers and sisters who are in prison as well as the departure of British troops.'

    Harry 'the mother of all targets' in Iraq, O, 22.4.2007, http://observer.guardian.co.uk/uk_news/story/0,,2062906,00.html

9.45am

Bodies of British soldiers flown home

Thursday April 12, 2007
Guardian Unlimited
Staff and agencies

The bodies of four soldiers killed in a roadside bomb in Iraq last week arrived back in Britain today, amid persistent anger over the government's decision to allow sailors captured by Iran to sell their stories.

Second Lieutenant Joanna Yorke Dyer, Corporal Kris O'Neill, Private Eleanor Dlugosz and Kingsman Adam James Smith died on April 5, in the bloodiest day for British troops in Iraq since last November.

A sunset repatriation ceremony was held in Basra last night before their coffins, all draped in the British flag, were flown back. Another service was due to be held this morning at the RAF base in Lyneham, Wiltshire.

The four were killed when insurgents struck their Warrior armoured vehicle near Basra as they returned from a patrol. A Kuwaiti interpreter was also killed in the blast that left a 3ft-deep crater in the road and seriously injured a fifth soldier.

Second Lt Dyer, from Yeovil, Somerset, was at Sandhurst military academy with Prince William, who has described her as a "close friend" and expressed his deep sadness at her death.

They were both commissioned as officers on the same day in December during a parade at the academy attended by the Queen. She had been serving with the 2nd Battalion The Duke of Lancaster's Regiment when she was killed.

Their deaths last Thursday brought the number of UK service personnel who have died since the hostilities began in Iraq to 140, of which 109 have died in action.

The return of the bodies comes at a time when the government is embroiled in a row over the decision to allow some of the navy crew detained in Iran to sell their stories, and Tony Blair's subsequent admission that this had been a mistake.

The defence secretary, Des Browne, can expect tough questioning from MPs today as they return from their two-week Easter break.

David Cameron, the Conservative party leader, has demanded details of who took the "calamitous" decision and when - warning it had caused "great damage to our armed forces". The Liberal Democrats also insisted answers were needed to key questions about the "fiasco" - with both parties also demanding an inquiry into the original capture of the naval personnel, who were held in Iran for 13 days.

Relatives of soldiers killed in Iraq welcomed Mr Browne's admission that "with hindsight" he could have taken a different view, but insisted he should have foreseen the furore.

Reg Keys, whose son Thomas was one of six members of the Royal Military Police killed by an Iraqi mob in June 2003, said: "I do applaud Des Browne for his honesty in taking responsibility, but I don't accept this phrase 'with hindsight'.

"They should have known the furore this would have caused and I would go further and say where was the prime minister in all of this? He should have seen the backlash.

"There should be a blanket ban - no selling of stories."

Rose Gentle, whose 19-year-old son, Fusilier Gordon Gentle, was killed in Basra in June 2004, said Mr Browne should never have allowed the "distasteful" sale of stories.

"It's a bit late, he should have thought about that from the beginning. He knows about the rules and regulations better than the families," she said.

Lord Ramsbotham, who served in the Falklands War and was a former director of public relations for the army, said: "I cannot understand how the decision was taken in the first place and secondly I cannot understand how any minister allowed it."

Speaking on the BBC Radio 4 Today programme, General Ramsbotham added: "What role did Number 10's press office have in all of this? Because my experience, certainly during the Falklands War and during the Beirut experience, was that everything was referred to Number 10 of some magnitude like this."

He went on: "We want to know exactly what the chain was. I have an awful feeling there is a bit of Easter weekend hanging over this story. Not everyone was necessarily there and therefore a decision taken by an admiral was, as it were, rubber-stamped without being properly checked."

    Bodies of British soldiers flown home, G, 12.4.2007, http://www.guardian.co.uk/Iraq/Story/0,,2055233,00.html

The bloody reality of war

· Two women among four UK soldiers killed by bomb
· Blair hints at Iranian support for attacks

Friday April 6, 2007
Guardian
Richard Norton-Taylor and Michael Howard


As 15 sailors and marines were celebrating their release by the Iranian government, the bloody reality of the conflict in which they were embroiled struck British soldiers yesterday on the streets of southern Iraq.
Four soldiers on patrol in a Warrior armoured vehicle in Basra were killed, and another seriously injured, by a powerful roadside bomb in one of the worst attacks on British forces since the invasion of Iraq four years ago.

Last night the Ministry of Defence confirmed that two men and two women had died in the attack, along with a Kuwaiti civilian interpreter. "The soldiers were from the Intelligence Corps, the 2nd Battalion The Duke of Lancaster's Regiment, and two from the Royal Army Medical Corps. Next of kin have been informed and have requested a 24-hour period before further details are released," an MoD statement said. The two female soldiers are understood to be from the Intelligence Corps and the Medical Corps.

They were killed after coming under fire from what army spokesmen called Shia "rogue militia" suspected of having links with Iran.

Photographs showed Iraqis appearing to celebrate the soldiers' deaths. A man held up a British military camouflage helmet while a young child grasped a piece of charred metal that was said to have come from the wreckage of the Warrior. Other men waved and smiled.

Speaking outside Number 10 as the freed sailors and marines were touching down in the UK, Tony Blair acknowledged that even as Britain rejoiced, the "sober and ugly reality" of the conflict had returned. Six British soldiers have now died in Basra since Sunday.

Using a noticeably harder tone than he had been able to adopt about Iran during the 13-day crisis, he said: "Now it is far too early to say the particular terrorist act that killed our forces was an act committed by terrorists who were backed by any elements of the Iranian regime, so I make no allegation in respect of that particular incident.

"But the general picture, as I said before, is that there are elements, at least, of the Iranian regime that are backing, financing, arming, supporting terrorism in Iraq and I repeat that our forces are there specifically at the request of the Iraqi government and with the full authority of the United Nations".

Army sources in Basra said it was unlikely they would be able to identify the origin or the type of roadside bomb which wrecked the Warrior. "Intelligence suggests [weapons] are coming from Iran but there is very little hard evidence," a senior army source said.

The patrol came under attack in the early hours of Thursday morning in the Hayaniyah district west of Basra. In an intelligence-led operation of the kind which have borne fruit in recent raids, the soldiers were looking for a weapons cache when they were attacked by small arms fire.

The patrol was returning to base after the shootout when it was attacked again by rifle fire and rocket-propelled grenades, Captain Katie Brown, army spokeswoman in Basra said. "The soldiers repelled the attack and were about 4km away on their way back to base when their patrol was hit by a roadside bomb," she said.

The explosion left a large crater in the road. A witness told Reuters: "We heard two explosions that shook the house. I went out and saw one armoured vehicle that was completely destroyed and another with less damage. I saw some soldiers being taken away, but I don't know how many."

An army spokesman denied reports that the British patrol had earlier attacked an Iraqi police checkpoint. He said the police were briefly questioned and were asked to remove their sidearms. Captain Brown said the patrol was a routine operation to look for "weaponry and anyone involved in anti-Iraqi force activity". She said there were no weapons finds and no one was detained.

The army's version was supported by Colonel Abed al-Raehi, a senior officer at Basra's police headquarters: "We have no information that the British attacked one of our checkpoints. It didn't happen."

He said that since British troops had pulled out of central Basra two weeks ago as a prelude to the phased withdrawal of a quarter of its 7,000-strong force, security in the strategic oil centre had "not been great but the city was generally stable".

The commander of British forces said last month that the scale of the attacks on British troops in Basra was a barrier to the public's confidence that Iraqi forces were capable of securing the city.

Col Raehi said there had been a number of gun battles between various groups fighting for influence over Basra's provincial council. But he denied there was a security vacuum in the city. "It is better than Baghdad. The violence here is targeted, organised. Thank God, you don't get the random violence and the killing of civilians that you see ... in Baghdad."

British military sources in Basra declined to speculate over the identity of yesterday's attackers, or whether the roadside bomb and earlier shootout were carried out by the same group.

Since the crisis over the seized British sailors erupted, British and Iraqi officials have been watching for signs that armed groups in the Basra region were stepping up attacks against British targets.

"We saw no noticeable up-tick in attacks during that period that we could definitively link to the situation with Iran," said a senior diplomatic source in Baghdad. Moqtada al-Sadr's Mahdi militia is especially active in the Basra area.

But the six British deaths this week suggest the situation is deteriorating. On Sunday, Kingsman Danny John Wilson, 28, of the Duke of Lancaster's Regiment, died. The following day Rifleman Aaron Lincoln, 18, of the 2nd Battalion, The Rifles, was shot. Both were killed by small arms fire in what army sources called a change of tactic by insurgents. The death toll of British service personnel in Iraq since hostilities began now stands at 140; of those 109 died in action.

13 days of violence

While global attention has focused on Iran for almost two weeks, the death toll in Iraq has continued to rise

March 23 US soldier killed in Anbar. Another killed by a roadside bomb south of Baghdad.

March 25 Four US soldiers killed by a bomb in Diyala province. Roadside bomb kills another soldier in Baghdad

March 27 Massive truck bomb attack in the Iraqi town of Tal Afar kills 152. US soldier killed in Baghdad's Green Zone

March 28 Off-duty Shia policemen kill at least 45 men with shots to the head.

March 29 Three simultaneous attacks in Shia town of Khalis kill 53 people. Further 62 killed by suicide bomber in a market in northern Baghdad. US soldier killed by roadside bomb.

April 1 British soldier killed and another injured while on patrol in Basra. Six US soldiers killed in roadside bombings southwest of Baghdad

April 2 British soldier dies after being fired on in Basra. Two US soldiers and a marine killed in Anbar. Another US soldier killed by truck bomb in Kirkuk.

April 3 US soldier killed by small arms fire on southern outskirts of Baghdad.

April 5 Four British soldiers killed in roadside bomb blast in Basra

Sources Reuters, AP, icasualties

    The bloody reality of war, G, 6.4.2007, http://www.guardian.co.uk/Iraq/Story/0,,2051606,00.html

Mid-air toasts, facing the media,

and finally the family reunions

Freed Britons tell of a dream come true

Friday April 6, 2007
Guardian
Steven Morris and Audrey Gillan


Carrying goody bags given to them by the country that had held them captive for almost a fortnight, the 15 British military personnel abducted by Iran yesterday returned home to a highly emotional reunion with family and friends.
The sailors and Royal Marines changed from the three-piece grey suits donated by the Iranian government back into their military uniform on board the British Airways flight 6634 from Tehran. As they sat in business class, they were allowed a taste of champagne, but were gently reminded that they were still on duty.

After squinting into the sunshine at Heathrow and at the dozens of camera lenses positioned in a pen on the airstrip, the 15 marched single file on to two RAF Sea King helicopters waiting to take them to the Royal Marine base at Chivenor, near Barnstaple in Devon, where they were greeted by senior officers, including Air Chief Marshal Sir Jock Stirrup, who told the group he was proud of them.

The faces of the 15 might have been serious for the cameras at Heathrow, but when the service personnel finally met their loved ones at the base's officers' mess, there were hugs, smiles and tears.

Tears

Some spoke excitedly into mobile phones to friends and relatives who could not travel. Others assured their nearest and dearest that they were well. One serviceman was seen holding a small child. Others gathered to pose for photographs.

Leading Seaman Faye Turney, 26, the only woman in the party, hugged her husband, Adam, and held her three-year-old daughter, Molly.

The scene was recorded by navy photograp hers and an ITN camera crew - the navy's television camera broke down at the crucial moment.

Lieutenant Colonel Andy Price of the Royal Marines read out a statement on behalf of the 15. It said: "It goes without saying that we are all extremely happy to be back home in the UK and reunited with our loved ones. Touching down at Heathrow was, for all of us, a dream come true and the welcome we have received is one none of us will forget. The past two weeks have been very difficult. But by staying together as a team we kept our spirits up, drawing great comfort from the knowledge that our loved ones would be waiting for us."

"It is only now that we have learnt of the enormous public support we have all enjoyed in the UK and wish to thank everyone for their thoughts, kind words and prayers. It means so much to us all."

It is not known if the group will have to return to HMS Cornwall within the week or if they will be given leave. They were being examined by doctors and given access to counsellors.

There were mixed messages, however, over how they were being debriefed. One military source at the base said it was being done informally. The service personnel were being briefly separated from their relatives for short periods and talked to.

Another source said they would face tough debriefings from MI6 officers in which they would be asked to go through in detail the circumstances of their capture, how they were held, and the pressure they were put under.

The service personnel spent yesterday evening drinking beer and wine in the officers' mess. Some strolled around the gardens, enjoying sunset. Most then had early nights.

They had not slept for most of the last 48 hours and were deprived of sleep during their time in Iran. A military source who has spoken to the men and woman said some were asking themselves if they had done the right thing by making statements on television. "Some were feeling vulnerable. Faye Turney was feeling "pretty hard hit" by how she was portrayed by the Iranians."

Solitary confinement

The source said that at times the detainees had been treated well, but some of them had been held in solitary confinement at times. There was also a suggestion last night that the Iranians might have tricked the men and woman into believing that they were in Iranian waters. "There are very good reasons why they said what they said," said the source.

Individual plans were being drawn up for the support the 15 will need. For some going home at once was best. Three or four had said they wanted to get back to their units as soon as possible.

Some of the service personnel may speak about their experiences today, but newspapers and news programmes are rumoured to be offering big sums for exclusive interviews, although regulations may prevent any of the personnel from accepting payment.

In an interview recorded by Five News on March 13, but not broadcast until last night, Captain Chris Air spoke of how part of the mission when interdicting suspicious vessels in the Gulf - what the crew were doing when they were detained by the Iranians - was to gather intelligence on the Iranians.

In their own words

'On arrival at RMB Chivenor we were completely overwhelmed by the wave of good will we received. The support from the media, the MoD and especially our families was incredible and we are just delighted to be back in the UK'
Lt Felix Carmen

'I am delighted to be back home and reunited with my sister and godmother. We started this thing together as a team and I am glad we have all been reunited with our families as a team. I'm looking forward to spending time with my family'
Operator Maintainer Arthur Batchelor

'You've seen for yourself these are very young people. I think they have acted with immense courage and dignity during the time that they have been detained and indeed presented before the media of the world in the way in which they have'
Des Browne, defence secretary

'I have met them briefly simply to say well done and welcome home. They seem very happy and in great shape. They did exactly what they should have done and we are extremely proud of them'
Air Chief Marshal Sir Jock Stirrup

    Mid-air toasts, facing the media, and finally the family reunions, G, 6.4.2007, http://www.guardian.co.uk/iran/story/0,,2051565,00.html

What the returning sailors said

Statement made by the 15 service personnel held in Iran following their return to the UK

Thursday April 5, 2007
Press Association
Guardian Unlimited



"It goes without saying that we are extremely happy to be back in the UK and reunited with our loved ones.
"Touching down at Heathrow this morning was for all of us a dream come true and the welcome home that we have enjoyed today was one that none of us will ever forget.

"The past two weeks have been very difficult but, by staying together as a team, we kept our spirits up, drawing great comfort from the knowledge that our loved ones would be waiting for us on our return to the UK.

"It is only now that we have learned of the enormous public support we have all enjoyed in the UK and we wish to thank everyone for their thoughts, kind words and prayers. It means so much to us all.

"We all longed to be back with our loved ones and now that we are home we are all very much looking forward to spending some time with them."

"While we are extremely grateful for all the support we have had from the media, we would also ask that we have some space and privacy at this time."

Lieutenant Felix Carman said: "On arrival at Royal Marines barracks Chivenor, we were completely overwhelmed by the wave of goodwill we received.

"The support from the media, the Ministry of Defence and especially our families was incredible and we are just delighted to be back in the UK." Operator Mechanic Arthur Batchelor said: "I am delighted to be back home and reunited with my sister and godmother.

"We started this thing together as a team and I am glad to have been reunited with our families as a team.

"I am looking forward to spending time with my family."

Operator Mechanic Nathan Summers said: "It is only now that we are home that we have found out just how much support we have had and we still have.

"It is a great relief to be back with friends and family."

Marine Adam Sperry said: "I am ecstatic to be back and can't wait to get home. I feel like I have a lot of people to see before I get back to my unit after leave.

"It is great to see all the positive support that we have had."

    What the returning sailors said, G, 5.4.2007, http://www.guardian.co.uk/iran/story/0,,2051229,00.html

5.45pm

Iraq bomb kills four British troops

Thursday April 5, 2007
Guardian Unlimited
Staff and agencies

Four British soldiers were killed in southern Iraq after their Warrior armoured vehicle was destroyed by a roadside bomb, it was confirmed today.

A civilian interpreter inside the vehicle was also killed, and a fifth soldier was seriously injured, a military spokeswoman said.

Pictures of the aftermath of the insurgent attack showed a large crater blown into the road. Iraqi civilians held up scraps of metal from the vehicle, and another raised a British helmet aloft, some of them cheering.

The bloodiest day for British troops in Iraq since last November tempered relief in Britain at the return of 15 British sailors and marines who had been held captive in Iran for almost two weeks.

"Just as we rejoice at the return of our 15 service personnel so today we are also grieving and mourning for the loss of our soldiers in Basra, who were killed as the result of a terrorist act," the prime minister, Tony Blair, told reporters in London.

Also this afternoon, the bodies of two British soldiers killed earlier in Iraq arrived back in the UK.

Kingsman Danny Wilson, 28, from Cumbria, died on Sunday after he was hit by small arms fire during a patrol in Basra City. Rifleman Aaron Lincoln, 18, from Durham, died on Monday after coming under similar attack while on patrol in the Al Ashar district of the city.

Today's deaths happened when the British patrol came under attack at about 2am local time (11pm yesterday BST) in the Hayaniyah district, west of Basra.

Insurgents struck the Warrior with small arms fire and rocket-propelled grenades, but it was the roadside bomb that killed the soldiers and the interpreter.

Captain Katie Brown, a spokeswoman for the British military in Basra, said the patrol was a routine operation to look for "weaponry and anyone involved in anti-Iraqi force activity".

"There were no [weapon] finds and no detainees as a result of this patrol," she added.

Today's fatalities bring the British death toll in Iraq for the past week to six. Elsewhere in Iraq today, a US army helicopter came down south of Baghdad, but all nine people aboard survived, according to American military officials.

The total death toll of British service personnel in Iraq since hostilities began now stands at 140, 109 of whom died in action.

Today's casualties are the worst loss in a single incident since four British service personnel were killed in an attack on a multinational forces boat patrol last November.

The past week has been the bloodiest week for UK troops in Iraq since 10 British personnel died when an RAF Hercules crashed north-west of Baghdad on January 30 2005.

    Iraq bomb kills four British troops, G, 5.4.2007, http://www.guardian.co.uk/Iraq/Story/0,,2051208,00.html

5.30pm

UK soldier dies in Basra attack

Monday April 2, 2007
Guardian Unlimited
Staff and agencies

A British soldier was killed in southern Iraq today after his patrol was attacked by insurgents, the Ministry of Defence said.

The serviceman was wounded in a small arms attack on the routine British patrol in the al-Ashar district of Basra city at about 2pm UK time.

The soldier was taken first to Basra palace for treatment, then flown by helicopter to the field hospital at Basra air station but later died from his injuries.

One other soldier received minor injuries in the attack and is in hospital; he is expected to make a full recovery.

An MoD spokesman said the dead soldier's family in Britain had not yet been informed. "We are making sure next of kin hear from us as a priority," the spokesman said.

The MoD today named the soldier who was killed yesterday in Iraq. He was Kingsman Danny John Wilson, 28, of the 2nd Battalion, the Duke of Lancaster's Regiment, from Workington in Cumbria.

He was taking part in a security tour near Basra palace when his patrol came under fire.

The latest British fatality today brings the number of UK service personnel who have died since the start of hostilities in Iraq to 136, of which 105 were deaths in action.

UK soldier dies in Basra attack, G, 2.4.2007, http://www.guardian.co.uk/Iraq/Story/0,,2048563,00.html