British sniper investigated for not shouting warning in Iraq

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Quote

 

British sniper investigated for not shouting warning in Iraq
Veterans group expresses outrage at unlawful killing investigation despite fact that lethal shot prevented insurgent firing rocket propelled grenade at British base

 

By Rob Crilly, New York
2:37AM GMT 19 Jan 2016

 

A British sniper is being investigated for shooting dead an Iraqi insurgent preparing to fire a rocket propelled grenade because he did not shout a warning, according to a pressure group representing former members of the armed forces.
The group, UK Veterans One Voice, says the unidentified soldier is the subject of an inquiry by the Iraq Historic Allegations Team (IHAT), despite preventing an attack on a British base.
The investigation team has been accused of running a witch hunt against British soldiers who served in Iraq as it investigates allegations of murder and torture.
The sniper's account contains no details of when or where the incident happened and could not be immediately verified.
However, the dramatic tale published by UK Veterans One Voice begins with the words: “This is not fiction.”
It describes how a British base was subject to attack by an Iraqi armed with an RPG after Friday prayers over a period of weeks. Soldiers were told not to return fire for fear of hurting bystanders who gathered to watch after they left the local mosque.
Then one Thursday a patrol returned without a sniper team – either by accident or design.
The following day, the same insurgent is spotted preparing to launch his weekly attack.
“As the insurgent’s finger tightened on the trigger of the RPG, a single shot cracked out,” says the account.

 

 

Full Article,
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/12107164/British-sniper-investigated-for-not-shouting-warning-in-Iraq.html

[DocM]

W-T-F ?!?

[Draggendrop Veteran]

I saw the title and thought, this must be an "onion parody" article....I second Doc's analysis (  )!?

[+Red King Subscriber²]

3 minutes ago, Draggendrop said:

I saw the title and thought, this must be an "onion parody" article....I second Doc's analysis (  )!?

It is ridiculous and this is why I made the topic.

[Draggendrop Veteran]

I am just livid reading that.....what is in the water in that area?????

[Jim K Global Moderator]

1 hour ago, DocM said:

W-T-F ?!?

This sums up the article and IHAT nicely.

[malenfant]

So a sniper shooting an RPG toting enemy combatant in a war zone is cause for censure now? Makes sense. Why didn't this guy use his sniper-kit issued megaphone to warn the enemy?

 

[Ravensky]

just WOW! Pack up all their ###### and come home if that is how it is, why even be there?  As you fly away drop a nuke and never look back...

[Depicus]

Sadly if your job requires you to find mud then you'll poor water on anything to keep your job going. Again it's all about the money, £50 million has to be spent by IHAT so no way they can spunk that amount of cash without a few prosecutions. 

 

Funny that that £50 million is from our government paid to lawyers, the same professions as a lot of politicians yet police forces struggle to investigate even serious cases.

[john_alex]

Huh? What was he suppose to do? Send the attacked a written notification and hold fire until that guy sent back the response? What is this world coming to? 

 

Maybe snippers should follow this "Politically correct guide for army snippers in Iraq":

• Give your RPG wielding target a fair change, let him know where you are so he can get his bearing straight. Rockets don't grow on trees after all!
• Do not shoot until the target has acknowledged your warning and has confirmed their willingness to be killed (preferably in writing to avoid unnecessary grief from social justice warriors). Doing anything else is racist/rude/[insert your PC term here].

 

 

 

[technord]

and they wonder why nobody in the UK wants to become a doctor, nurse, teacher, policeman, soldier.........

 

don't get me started on the whole pensions debate

 

Then they say, because we haven't got the skills here, we need more immigration to fill the shortage

 

99% of our politicians have never lived in the real world

 

we're called a democracy, but I don't see it.  The ruling party is only telling us why we need to be in Europe.  They never say why we shouldn't.  How is that fair when we are expected to vote on it, if we're on getting half the facts?  They only tell us what they want us to know, so we vote the way they want us to.  Who's working for who here?

 

Technology is making the world a smaller place.  Information can be delivered in miliseconds across the globe.  The public are starting to see through it now.  Isn't funny though, how this freedom of information on the internet is now being censored because of so called "national security".  You know, that same national security that has declined since the removal of saddam husein and gaddafi

Edited January 21, 2016 by glen8

[Salgoth]

If the facts stand as shown the sniper has no worries.  Warning requirements are normally a civil law enforcement requirement, not something you require  of troops in combat.  Kind of nonsense right?  "Hey dude with RPG pointed at my friends, I MIGHT shoot you if you try to fire that"

[Alwaysonacoffebreak]

5 hours ago, _Alexander said:

A British sniper is being investigated for shooting dead an Iraqi insurgent preparing to fire a rocket propelled grenade because he did not shout a warning

HAHA.

 

"Hey, hey you. Is that...an RPG? Mind waiting until I ask for permission to shoot you? Oh you do mind? Okay "

 

[DocM]

Sorry, but IMO IHAT should be renamed ASSHATS Inc. 

 

 

[Kierax2016]

Strap them with a sniper rifle, a megaphone, and a couple dozen GoPro's into a current warzone, and lets see if they can obtain the results they want then.

 

[+Nik Louch Subscriber²]

###### sake!