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UK pressures US on Iraq inquests UK pressures US on Iraq inquests
(about 1 hour later)
A senior US official is being asked to explain why US soldiers have fail to attend inquests of Britons killed by "friendly fire" in Iraq. A senior US diplomat has met with a government minister to discuss the failure of US troops to attend inquests of Britons killed by "friendly fire".
Constitutional Affairs Minister Harriet Harman requested the talks with deputy US ambassador David Johnson after complaints from a senior coroner. Deputy US ambassador David Johnson met Harriet Harman, after complaints from a senior coroner.
It is believed no US servicemen have attended the inquests so far, including that of ITN reporter Terry Lloyd.It is believed no US servicemen have attended the inquests so far, including that of ITN reporter Terry Lloyd.
Ms Harman said it was "not acceptable" for US soldiers to remain absent. Mr Johnson said it was tricky issue but the US was committed to an open dialogue about what could be done.
On his way to the meeting on Monday, Mr Johnson said he was happy to talk to Ms Harman about US co-operation with inquests and material they had provided He told the BBC: "We need to look at this, it raises some very tricky potential or difficult legal issues that we need to be very careful about and I don't want to say anything here which might commit me to anything in particular.
Determining the truth "But I do want to say we are very much committed to an open exchange with ministers to see what might be done."
"I'm here to discuss the issue with Ms Harman about how best we can co-operate together," he said.
"I'm not going to seek to pre-judge that, and I don't expect that at the conclusion of our discussion we will resolve this issue."
On Sunday Ms Harman told BBC News 24 the aim of the inquests was to determine the truth surrounding each incident.
We would have been happy to have them give evidence by video link, they wouldn't necessarily have had to attend the inquest Anne Leech, whose son died in the first Gulf warWe would have been happy to have them give evidence by video link, they wouldn't necessarily have had to attend the inquest Anne Leech, whose son died in the first Gulf war
"It's a very important opportunity for the relatives to find out the circumstances of how their loved one came to meet their death," she said.
She said US soldiers would not be facing a criminal prosecution or ordered to pay compensation if they attended a hearing.
Policy change
"It's simply just allowing the relatives to know the truth and therefore it's just not acceptable for them not to turn up."
Ms Harman added that the Americans had said it was their policy to not attend the inquests.
"If that's the case I think they need to change the policy." An inquest ruled Terry Lloyd was unlawfully killed
She also said any British soldier involved in the death of a US soldier would be expected to attend a subsequent hearing.
"Were it to happen our troops would co-operate and go to America and be prepared to give information," she said.
The mother of a British serviceman killed in the first Gulf War welcomed the government's move.
'No witch hunt'
Anne Leech lost her 20-year-old son Kevin after British troops in Warrior armoured vehicles were attacked by US warplanes west of Kuwait.
Mrs Leech, from Prudhoe, Northumberland, said: "We didn't want a witch hunt, we just wanted the truth.
"We would have been happy to have them give evidence by video link, they wouldn't necessarily have had to attend the inquest.
"We just wanted to know what happened."
Last month Oxfordshire Coroner Andrew Walker, who conducts the majority of inquests, called on the attorney general to extradite the marines involved in the case of Terry Lloyd.Last month Oxfordshire Coroner Andrew Walker, who conducts the majority of inquests, called on the attorney general to extradite the marines involved in the case of Terry Lloyd.
Mr Walker delivered a verdict of "unlawful killing" over the case, in which Mr Lloyd, 50, was shot by a marine while in a makeshift ambulance near the Shatt Al Basra Bridge on 22 March 2003.Mr Walker delivered a verdict of "unlawful killing" over the case, in which Mr Lloyd, 50, was shot by a marine while in a makeshift ambulance near the Shatt Al Basra Bridge on 22 March 2003.
The coroner also criticised the US for failing to name or send witnesses to another inquest in October into the deaths of two RAF men shot down by a US missile after completing a bombing raid on Baghdad in 2003.The coroner also criticised the US for failing to name or send witnesses to another inquest in October into the deaths of two RAF men shot down by a US missile after completing a bombing raid on Baghdad in 2003.
Ms Harman said it was important for relatives to know how their loved ones had died and US soldiers would not face criminal charges or be ordered to pay compensation if they attended.
"It's simply just allowing the relatives to know the truth and therefore it's just not acceptable for them not to turn up," she said.
An inquest ruled Terry Lloyd was unlawfully killed
After the meeting she said there some more inquests coming up and the coroner wanted a US armed services representative to be present to answer his, or the families' questions.
"We have been discussing with Mr Johnson this morning how we can make that possible."
The mother of a British serviceman killed in the first Gulf War welcomed the government's move.
Anne Leech lost her 20-year-old son Kevin after British troops in Warrior armoured vehicles were attacked by US warplanes west of Kuwait.
'No witch hunt'
Mrs Leech, from Prudhoe, Northumberland, said: "We didn't want a witch hunt, we just wanted the truth.
"We would have been happy to have them give evidence by video link, they wouldn't necessarily have had to attend the inquest."
But Conservative MP Adam Holloway, who served with the Grenadier Guards and fought in the first Gulf War, said he did not think much would come of the meeting.
"Thousands, perhaps tens of thousands, of Iraqi civilians and indeed Afghans, have been killed by American aircraft.
"I think if we had some sort of greedy 'no win no fee' lawyers poking around Iraq for example, the Americans would be in a whole world of trouble legally."