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| 'Friendly fire' footage revealed | |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| The cockpit video at the centre of a row over the "friendly-fire" death of a British soldier in Iraq has been obtained by the Sun newspaper. | |
| An inquest into the death of Lance Corporal of Horse Matty Hull, 25, from Berks, was adjourned after the coroner said the tape was central to the case. | An inquest into the death of Lance Corporal of Horse Matty Hull, 25, from Berks, was adjourned after the coroner said the tape was central to the case. |
| The video was classified "secret" by the US, but minister Harriet Harman wants all evidence made available. | |
| The Sun says it shows a 2003 US aircraft attack on a British convoy. | |
| The deputy chief of mission at the US Embassy in London, David Johnson, said it was considering de-classifying the video if the military considered it would not put forces at risk in future. | |
| The Sun has published a transcript of what it says was said by US military personnel on the video. | The Sun has published a transcript of what it says was said by US military personnel on the video. |
| At the start of the attack, one pilot notices orange panels on the vehicles and asks whether there could be any friendly units in the area. | At the start of the attack, one pilot notices orange panels on the vehicles and asks whether there could be any friendly units in the area. |
| His command gives assurances there are no coalition forces in the area. | His command gives assurances there are no coalition forces in the area. |
| We're in jail, dude American pilot on tape | We're in jail, dude American pilot on tape |
| Pilots open fire but soon the error is realised and they are informed that friendly units were in the area. | Pilots open fire but soon the error is realised and they are informed that friendly units were in the area. |
| They are told: "Abort your mission. You got a, looks we might have a blue-on-blue situation [a friendly fire incident]." | They are told: "Abort your mission. You got a, looks we might have a blue-on-blue situation [a friendly fire incident]." |
| An air controller on the ground says: "We are getting an initial brief that there was one killed and one wounded, over." | An air controller on the ground says: "We are getting an initial brief that there was one killed and one wounded, over." |
| One pilot replies: "Copy. RTB [return to base]." A colleague says: "I'm going to be sick." | One pilot replies: "Copy. RTB [return to base]." A colleague says: "I'm going to be sick." |
| They then talk about the possibility of being jailed for carrying out the attack. | They then talk about the possibility of being jailed for carrying out the attack. |
| 'Weeping' | 'Weeping' |
| The first pilot says: "Did you hear?" His colleague replies: "Yeah, this sucks." | The first pilot says: "Did you hear?" His colleague replies: "Yeah, this sucks." |
| "We're in jail, dude," says the first. | "We're in jail, dude," says the first. |
| The other pilot then weeps, saying: "God dammit". | The other pilot then weeps, saying: "God dammit". |
| The BBC's defence correspondent Paul Wood said it was obvious from the recording that the pilots were appalled by their mistake. | The BBC's defence correspondent Paul Wood said it was obvious from the recording that the pilots were appalled by their mistake. |
| "They are not just remorseful, they are weeping. They are beside themselves." | "They are not just remorseful, they are weeping. They are beside themselves." |
| He said the question was who is responsible for the error, adding that the Pentagon has a longstanding position not to let US servicemen appear before foreign tribunals. | He said the question was who is responsible for the error, adding that the Pentagon has a longstanding position not to let US servicemen appear before foreign tribunals. |
| Defence analyst Paul Beaver said: "I can see no reason for classifying it, other than it is deeply embarrassing to the US military. | |
| He said it showed a "catalogue of errors" including pilots ignoring orange panels on vehicles - the NATO symbol for friendly forces. | |
| "You have to ask were they fit for flying at that time? What sort of training do they have?" | |
| The Sun has released footage to television and radio stations, but is not giving other websites permission to use clips. | The Sun has released footage to television and radio stations, but is not giving other websites permission to use clips. |
| It is not known who leaked the video to the newspaper, but the US government says it will be prosecute whoever is responsible. | |
| Last week, when the existence of the tape came to light, L/CoH Hull's widow, Susan, described it as an "absolute disgrace" that she had been assured by the military no such tape existed. | Last week, when the existence of the tape came to light, L/CoH Hull's widow, Susan, described it as an "absolute disgrace" that she had been assured by the military no such tape existed. |
| L/CoH Hull, from the Household Cavalry Regiment, died from multiple injuries inside his blazing Scimitar tank, despite efforts by colleagues to save him. | L/CoH Hull, from the Household Cavalry Regiment, died from multiple injuries inside his blazing Scimitar tank, despite efforts by colleagues to save him. |
| He was travelling in a column of light armoured vehicles near the southern Iraqi city of Basra when it was reportedly attacked by a US A-10 "tankbuster" aircraft. | He was travelling in a column of light armoured vehicles near the southern Iraqi city of Basra when it was reportedly attacked by a US A-10 "tankbuster" aircraft. |
| Furious attack | Furious attack |
| On Friday, Oxfordshire Assistant Deputy Coroner Andrew Walker was forced to adjourn L/CoH Hull's hearing because the MoD had failed to provide the inquest with a recording. | On Friday, Oxfordshire Assistant Deputy Coroner Andrew Walker was forced to adjourn L/CoH Hull's hearing because the MoD had failed to provide the inquest with a recording. |
| He had earlier launched a furious attack on the MoD for refusing to release the tape. | He had earlier launched a furious attack on the MoD for refusing to release the tape. |
| There has never been any intention to deliberately deceive or mislead L/CoH Hull's family MoD | There has never been any intention to deliberately deceive or mislead L/CoH Hull's family MoD |
| The MoD said it was given a copy of the video by the US government for its own investigation into the incident. | The MoD said it was given a copy of the video by the US government for its own investigation into the incident. |
| "This recording is the property of the United States government and the MoD does not have the right to release it without their permission," it said in a statement. | "This recording is the property of the United States government and the MoD does not have the right to release it without their permission," it said in a statement. |
| L/CoH Hull's family had been told that some classified material has been withheld, "but we did not specify its exact nature", the statement added. | L/CoH Hull's family had been told that some classified material has been withheld, "but we did not specify its exact nature", the statement added. |
| "There has never been any intention to deliberately deceive or mislead L/CoH Hull's family." | "There has never been any intention to deliberately deceive or mislead L/CoH Hull's family." |
| However, Mr Johnson, from London's US Embassy, said the US government had been in discussions with Harriet Harman and other officials over the tape. | However, Mr Johnson, from London's US Embassy, said the US government had been in discussions with Harriet Harman and other officials over the tape. |
| "It is probably incorrect to say anyone had put pressure on anyone," he said. "We have been working together on this." | "It is probably incorrect to say anyone had put pressure on anyone," he said. "We have been working together on this." |
| A Pentagon spokeswoman said the US government never released documents that were part of an investigation. | A Pentagon spokeswoman said the US government never released documents that were part of an investigation. |