Soldier was alive hours after Iraq ambush, inquest told
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.A British soldier was still alive as his killers filmed him surrounded by an angry crowd days after the Iraq invasion.
More than three years after Sapper Luke Allsopp, 24, and Staff Sergeant Simon Cullingworth, 36, were killed, an inquest revealed the frightening confusion of that day as well as the apparent errors which led the bomb disposal experts of 33 Engineer Regiment into risky territory.
The pair were on their way to clear a radio station on 23 March 2003 when they were ambushed. Their bodies turned up in shallow graves three weeks later.
Footage shot by the insurgents was passed to al-Jazeera television, prompting a row when Tony Blair said they had been executed after the men's families were told they died in combat.
Dr Nicholas Hunt, a forensic pathologist, told the inquest yesterday that the film, taken in Az Zubayr, outside Basra, four hours after the ambush, showed that Sapper Allsopp was still breathing as he lay surrounded by the crowd "although apparently close to death". The inquest heard both died of multiple gunshot wounds.
Captain Michael Eastough told the hearing that the group had been warned not to enter the town, a "risky area" ringed by coalition forces.
Andrew Walker , the Oxford assistant deputy coroner, said: "It's difficult to understand how this convoy made its way into an area which was highly risky without encountering any British troops to tell them, 'You can't go into this area'." Capt Eastough responded: "I can't answer that. I was given the task of showing the road and that's what I did."
The inquest continues.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments