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Can it be legal for an individual to be brought to trial after being aquitted not once, but twice, of the same crime? That is exactly what has happened to Trooper Kevin Williams of the Royal Tank Regiment. Accused of the murder of an (armed) Iraqi civilian near Basra.
He was investigated by the Commanding officer of the infantry battalion he was attached to and found that he had acted in accordence with the rules of engagement. However, to make sure that everything was above board he refered the incident to trooper Williams own CO. Who took legal advice and includes the military police. After a second investigation it was deemed that there was no case to answer.
Not good enough for the political appeasers though. No, shades of Lee Clegg. Lets throw some inconsequential squaddie to the dogs so that we [the govt] can be seen to be doing the 'right' thing. So now this guy is going to the Old Bailey. For a third shot at getting a conviction. With a bit of luck one that will allow Blair to trumpet how the British forces are not above the law. Far from it, it seems that they are beneath the law. In fact they are just another political expedient. Useful throw away items. The fact that General officers are getting involved goes to show that this is not a case of some trigger happy squaddie cooking of random rounds.
So now some 18 year old kid sent to a war zone in a bid to boost Blair's foriegn influence now has to decide amongst everything else going through his/her mind, whether or not they are going to be tried for murder for the act of defending themselves and those around them. The very thing that killed Corporals Woods and Howes in Andersonstown in 1988. More afraid of their own side than the very real threat to their lives. Another two body bags filled.
The net result of that action was to spawn the attitude of 'better to be tried by 12 than carried by 6'.
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