Gloating ... TV shows Iraqis clambering
on overturned Land Rover
Posted on 03/26/2003 8:16:20 PM PST by Pokey78
SICKENING TV film showing two executed British soldiers lying in a dusty Iraqi street triggered outrage and tears last night.
The Arab station Al Jazeera broadcast pictures taken by Saddam Hussein’s Fedayeen militiamen minutes after they killed the pair, both Desert Rats.
One trooper had a massive chest wound and the other’s neck and upper chest was covered in blood.
Both men’s faces were clearly visible on the film — shot at close range in the border town of Safwan.
Nearby, dozens of Iraqi militiamen were seen clambering over the soldiers’ overturned Land Rover.
It is feared the pair were ambushed, pulled from the vehicle and slaughtered in cold blood.
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| Muddy hell ... American Commandos at Nasiriyah yesterday Pictures: EPA/ERIC FEFERBERG |
Last night the dead men’s comrades, who hoped they had saved themselves after they went missing on Sunday, wept when told of their grisly fate.
And they were furious that the Iraqi regime had passed the film footage to the TV station.
Army spokesman Colonel Chris Vernon said: “We absolutely abhor the decision of Al Jazeera television to show dead prisoners of war. It totally contravenes all of the conventions of war and we condemn it completely.”
A British military source said of the slaughter: “Such barbarism reflects the true nature of the Iraqi regime. We’re witnessing the lowest conceivable standards of decency and humanity.”
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| Exhausted ... US Commandos carry equipment after several days of battle in Nasiriyah |
The storm over the televised brutality dominated Day Seven of the war, which also saw:
UP to 1,000 Iraqi soldiers killed by US forces in a ferocious battle at Najaf.
A DEVASTATING RAF attack on 120 Iraqi tanks and armoured vehicles trying to break out of Basra.
PREPARATIONS for a massive head-on confrontation between US Marines and 5,000 Republican Guard troops on Iraq’s Highway Seven.
AT least 14 Iraqis killed by two stray Allied bombs that fell on a market in Baghdad.
US troops taking control of the city of Nasiriya, but with the loss of ten Marines, and
THE naming of two British tank crewmen killed by “friendly fire” from another Army Challenger.
The dead Britons shown on TV are thought to have been attached to an artillery regiment of the Desert Rats.
Their Land Rover was in a convoy of ten vehicles, including Warrior armoured personnel carriers, ambushed by militiamen using rocket-propelled grenades.
In a well-drilled reaction, the convoy dispersed to prevent the enemy from having a large target.
The pair were declared missing after the formation regrouped without them.
Hours later comrades found their upturned vehicle, which had been partially burned out.
They prayed the duo had managed to embark on an escape and evasion exercise. But last night’s TV pictures dashed any such hopes.
The Ministry of Defence last night made a formal request to Al Jazeera to stop showing the film.
The Sun has respected the MoD’s wishes by not publishing the pictures.
But the station, which also showed footage of a downed unmanned RAF spy drone, refused to comply.
There were fears the victims’ families would see the video if other cable networks picked it up. And MoD chiefs tried to contact the relatives to pass on news of the tragedy.
The deaths took the number of British servicemen killed or missing in action to 22.
As news broke of the Fedayeen atrocity, it was revealed Iraqi prisoners are being well looked after by British forces.
A clean, well-organised PoW centre has been established for 2,000 captives in the port town of Umm Qasr.
Soldiers given the task of guarding the men told how many were delighted to be getting hot food, drinks and clean bedding.
Allied commanders have even shipped in creature comforts for their captives — 72,000 of their favourite Cleopatra cigarettes.
Tony Blair flew to Washington last night for talks on the war with President George Bush at Camp David.
The PM said speculation about whether the UN would run Iraq after the conflict was premature.
Looking relaxed and clasping a mug of tea on his jet, he added: “We don’t know what the situation is going to be.”
A clean, well-organised PoW centre has been established for 2,000 captives in the port town of Umm Qasr.
Soldiers given the task of guarding the men told how many were delighted to be getting hot food, drinks and clean bedding.
Allied commanders have even shipped in creature comforts for their captives — 72,000 of their favourite Cleopatra cigarettes.
It's what they call civilisation. We need to spread it to Iraq.
"You are responsible for the deaths of 15 civilians at the market square, " is what he said....
In addition to the video of the two British soldiers, there was something very odd and disturbing; one was the three or four civilian clothed Iraqis posing with the bodies, but al Jazeera not showing their faces. They almost all were in blue jeans, and had rubber sandals, carrying automatic weapons. They gave the Arabic or Palestinian "V" sign; they looked like professional terrorist types.
Further, there was short video of two Black men, alive, said to be POWs. Yet, a) these two men were NOT in uniform but were in western garb; b) they did not look as concerned as the American POWs the other day; c) one man had long hair. In fact his hair was in so-called 'dredlocks'. This was NOT a military haircut. And finally, d) the second black man to me did not look like an American African-American, but looked particulary AFRICAN black to me. Perhaps central African or Nigerian, Sudanese? I wonder if Iraq is not getting Africans to pose as captured Coalition personnel....or just WHO these captives were?
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