British soldiers may face war crimes charges over Iraq

There may be evidence to justify criminal charges for unlawful killing and torture against British soldiers who served in Iraq, says director of the Iraq Historic Allegations Team [Ihat], Mark Warwick, in an interview published on Saturday. 

An inquiry has received over 1,500 cases from victims of mistreatment, including rape and torture by British troops who served in Iraq following the 2003 invasion.

At least 280 of these cases include unlawful killing by British soldiers, of which only 25 have been investigated so far. 

The British government's Ministry of Defence established Ihat in 2010 to investigate allegations of abuse and has a remit of investigation independent from the military.

"There are serious allegations that we are investigating across the whole range of Ihat investigations, which incorporates homicide," Warwick said in an interview published by The Independent Newspaper.

"I feel there is significant evidence to be obtained to put a strong case before the Service Prosecuting Authority to prosecute and charge," he said.

The British government takes all allegations of abuse and unlawful killing extremely seriously, said a Ministry of Defence spokeswoman.

"The vast majority of UK service personnel deployed on military operations conduct themselves professionally and in accordance with the law," she said. "Where there is sufficient evidence, members of Her Majesty's Forces can be prosecuted."

Investigations are due to be completed by the end of 2019, ten years after Britain withdrew its forces from Iraq.

Human Rights campaigners have said that the investigations are moving too slowly.

"Things seem still to be moving at a snail's pace. We call upon the government to ensure Ihat can, and does, do what it was set up to do, and to do it now. This cannot be a whitewash." Said Carla Ferstman, director of Redress.

A British Government public inquiry into the Iraq war known as the Chilcot Inquiry, was launched in 2009 to consider the participation of the British armed forces in the Iraq war.

After repeated delays about which the current Prime Minister David Cameron has expressed frustration, it is scheduled to be published in mid-2016.

Separately, allegations of 'systematic detainee abuse' by British troops in Iraq between 2003 and 2008 are subject of a preliminary examination by the International Criminal Court at The Hague.