|
MAJOR ISSUES BULLETIN |
||
A TROOPER and a
TRAVESTY OF JUSTICE held for MURDER of IRAQI by ATTORNEY GENERAL - was twice
CLEARED by ARMY. Nothing, however could
compensate for the disaster of a conviction of murder and a mandatory life
sentence on a young man who never wanted to do anything but a soldier and who
joined the Army Foundation College at Harrogate as soon as he left school. The consequences to this
family and crucially, to his friends and colleagues in the British Army still
serving in the constant crossfire of Iraq, are incalculable. But, of course, the real
issue is whether not just civil law but civil standards should be applied to
soldiers serving with immense courage, and sometimes dying, in a calamitous
war. Kevin’s family do not
believe that he could possibly be guilty of murder. ‘My son’s a good lad
who’s always done his best,’ are the quiet,
almost choking words of his distraught father Richard Williams, an engineer who
remarried after he and his wife Julie, parted when Kevin was a child. . ‘He’s not a murderer, he’s a soldier I’m proud of him,’
says Mr Williams, who still lives in Nelson
and saw his son when he was home from Iraq on leave. ‘Kevin was there at the
start of the campaign, one of the first into Basra, always in a lot of danger. In his letters home, he
was always saying what a good job he and his mates believed they were
doing. It was hard and dangerous, but
they thought it was worthwhile to help free the Iraq people. * * [As is well shown on our web site the EDP has no complaint that the British troops should help the Iraqi people to topple Saddam Hussein but only with their people’s full consent through the UN. As everyone now knows the true basis for the war was regime change and not as our People and Parliament were told the 45 minute claim that WMD ‘s danger to our territories which has been proved a Big Lie. Tony Blair placed our troops in an impossible position
and but for their professionalism - when they were not invited -is reflected in
the number of casualties. This
situation will deteriorate if Geoff Hoon allows our troops to be sent up to the
‘killing fields of Baghdad.’]
* * ‘My son would never have
shot someone unless he thought he had to. I just don’t understand why he’s been
betrayed. If the Army has looked into
the case twice and found no charge for him to face, I can’t see why he’s now
being tried for murder.’ It is impossible to over
estimate the demoralising effect that the approaching murder trial is having
among the superb British troops in Iraq, at a time when they are coming under
increasing attack, often by ambush. Insurgents have obtained
new, more powerful forms of rocket –propelled grenades, said to be capable of
penetrating the armour of Warrior troop carriers. Last month alone, the British
base in the town of al-Amara, north of Basra, sustained more than 400 direct
mortar hits. The British battalion took some 853 separate attacks involving
mortars, roadside bombs, rockets and machine-gun fire. [Is this
another case of Mr Blair not aware of the danger he has put our troops in by
his illegal invasion of Iraq-if anyone should be on trial it should be him for
Treason to his Country and for crimes against Humanity in Iraq before an
International Tribunal- but being a lawyer as his co conspirators are they
appear for now to be untouchable- but for how long we do not know.] While all this mayhem is
breaking out around our soldiers-and more of them dying-Scotland Yard
detectives have been instructed to sift and collect all possible evidence in
the case of Trooper Kevin Williams. They are doing so with
their usual painstaking diligence, of course-though not without considerable
unease at high levels. And as if this
lunacy were not enough, the Met is also having a review and investigate other allegations
of unlawful killings involving dozens of other soldiers. For those on Trooper
William’s case the task has been far from easy, with a contaminated crime
scene, little forensic evidence, and uncertainty over witnesses who may have
flown over from Iraq. All material will
eventually be presented at the Old Bailey where, with the greatest respect for
law, one is entitled to doubt if the legal minds involved, let alone the jury,
could possible be expected to assess the military operations which take place
in circumstances they are unlikely to understand. As General Walker
angrily declares: ‘Nobody I know is asking for soldiers to be above the
law. They are soldiers, not
cowboys. They do not have a licence to
go around acting unlawfully and if they do they must be punished.’ ‘But in such intensely
difficult circumstances as Iraq we must not get into an attitude in which a
soldier has to check with his lawyer whether he should shoot or not if he
believes his life is threatened. ‘We ask young men to
make life and death decisions in a split second. I have to say that in my
experience most of them, most of the time, get it absolutely right.’ Right now, although he
has pulled out of the depression, which brought on his suicide attempt, Trooper
Williams ‘frame of mind is said to remain ‘fragile’ ‘He’s not so good at the
moment-he’s just puzzled,’ says his mother, Julie, who visited him at Catterick
recently. ‘It’s such a terrible ordeal.
What’s happening to him is an absolute disgrace. He only did his best.’ Williams exchanges
frequent letters with his girlfriend Laurie, who lives next door to his
mother’s home, a neat and tidy corner semi. The Army is doing all it
can to keep his mind occupied and lift his morale with a comprehensive IT
course and fitness and adventure training. Thoughtfully, he has a
minder, former Sergeant Major Vic Wichelow, who took a late commission and is
now Captain. ‘Vic was chosen to help
Trooper Williams because he’s a seasoned soldier who has done it all and come
up through the ranks-a terrific chap who knows what’s it like to be a
squaddie,’ says a colleague. ‘He’s not so much
Trooper Williams’ minder as his mentor. He’s really good for the boy and he’ll
be with him all the way when the trial starts.’ As will Trooper Williams’
shocked mother and father, both of whom will be at the Old Bailey later this
month, and also when the trial starts properly next year. Their travel and hotel
costs will be paid out of the: Trooper
Williams Fighting Fund Which
has been launched by the regiment and led by General Walker. The fund was created specifically to take
care of such peripheral costs, not his defence, which is covered by Legal Aid. ‘Sums large or small have been coming in from all over the
country,’ says the General, ‘plus some very encouraging letters. But we need a
lot more money to look after the family in London.’ The grinding wheels of the law are unstoppable now, though
many feel that, in this instance, the law is an outrageous ass. Thousands of soldiers, millions who recognise the debt we owe them, will be hoping the trial brings Trooper Kevin Williams, as their regimental rallying cry puts it: ‘From
mud, through blood, to the green fields beyond.’ The fact that the Attorney General Lord Goldsmith lives a
life free of such’
mud and blood’ will not be considered by the jury. * * Request
from American forces for 650 Black Watch to be sent to Baghdad Area. –Daily
Mail Monday, October 18, 2004. Former Labour Defence Secretary-Lord Healey called for
British forces to be pulled out of Iraq
as soon as possible.’ If we do anything it is better to do it in Basra where we have
managed to keep the bulk of the population on our side’ he told
Sky News. *
* * Donations
can be sent to: Tpr Williams Fighting Fund ,RHQ RTR, Stanley
Barracks, Bovingtom, Dorset BH20 6JA.
10/4
[Fonts altered-bolding
used-comments in brackets]
* * * * * 13th October,2007
So You Want Out Of The EU
THEN WHY NOT SIGN THE RENUNCIATION of EU CITIZENSHIP http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/OptoutDetails from petition creator With the signing of the Maastricht Treaty the people of Britain were given DUAL CITIZENSHIP -both EUROPEAN and BRITISH The extra tier of citizenship was thrust upon the people without their consent -and in many cases knowledge. The PEOPLE of GREAT BRITAIN should be allowed the option of opting out of the EUROPEAN CITIZENSHIP if they so wish. The GOVERNMENT will then be able to provide those who have opted out with BRITISH DOCUMENTATION -only such as British (not EU) passports, driving licences and other national documents. EU laws will also NOT APPLY to those who HAVE OPTED OUT OF EUROPEAN CITIZENSHIP * * www.noliberties.com[Latest Addition - June07] * * *
*
Daniel Hannan - Forming an OPPOSITION to the EU
*
VOTE -2007
WITH THE ONLY PARTY WITH A MANDATE TO SET YOU FREE
THE UK INDEPENDENCE PARTY
TO RECLAIM YOUR DEMOCRACY DON'T VOTE FOR THE TRIPARTITE PARTIES IN WESTMINSTER BUT SMALL PARTIES THAT SPEAK THEIR MINDS WITHOUT SPIN AND LIES. *
ONLY WILL BRING DEMOCRACY BACK TO THE ENGLISH PEOPLE *
* MAY/07
[All underlined words have a separate bulletin] ADDED NOV 1-2015
*
*
*
*
|
||||||
