War crimes claims against British Iraq war veterans dismissed

More than 1,000 war crime accusations made against British soldiers who served in Iraq after the illegal US-led 2003 invasion have been dismissed, according to the Service Prosecuting Authority (SPA).

SPA Director Andrew Cayley explained that most cases had been dismissed owing to lack of credible evidence or “very low level” offences.

The BBC reported that the majority of the cases had been made by former lawyer Phil Shiner and his law firm Public Interest Lawyers.

Shiner was struck off as a solicitor after a tribunal found him guilty of misconduct and dishonesty, including “false accounts” made against British soldiers.

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Currently one case is still being considered for investigation although Cayley believes it is “quite possible” that none of the allegations will lead to prosecution, nor in separate investigations being conducted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) in the Hague.

In March, the British government presented a bill aiming to “end the cycle of re-investigations” and “vexatious claims” against British troops serving overseas.

The bill proposes a five-year time limit on prosecutions of historic allegations of human rights offences in the absence of compelling new evidence.

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