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Mothers ask for Iraq war inquiry | Mothers ask for Iraq war inquiry |
(about 5 hours later) | |
The mothers of two soldiers killed in Iraq are to ask the Law Lords to order the government to set up an independent inquiry into the decision to go to war. | The mothers of two soldiers killed in Iraq are to ask the Law Lords to order the government to set up an independent inquiry into the decision to go to war. |
Rose Gentle and Beverly Clarke claim the Human Rights Act means there must be an inquiry into the events which led to UK troops being sent into Iraq. | Rose Gentle and Beverly Clarke claim the Human Rights Act means there must be an inquiry into the events which led to UK troops being sent into Iraq. |
Fusilier Gordon Gentle, from Glasgow, was killed by a roadside bomb in 2004. | Fusilier Gordon Gentle, from Glasgow, was killed by a roadside bomb in 2004. |
Trooper David Clarke from Staffordshire died in "friendly fire" in 2003. Both soldiers were 19 years old. | |
A coroner found Fusilier Gentle might have survived the attack had his vehicle been fitted with vital bomb-disabling equipment. | A coroner found Fusilier Gentle might have survived the attack had his vehicle been fitted with vital bomb-disabling equipment. |
The body of Trooper Clarke has never been found. A coroner said his death was a "completely avoidable tragedy". | The body of Trooper Clarke has never been found. A coroner said his death was a "completely avoidable tragedy". |
Legal battle | Legal battle |
The legal argument on behalf of their mothers is to be presented before nine Law Lords. | The legal argument on behalf of their mothers is to be presented before nine Law Lords. |
Trooper Clarke was killed by friendly fire in 2003 | Trooper Clarke was killed by friendly fire in 2003 |
They say that the right to life, enshrined in Article 2 of the European Convention on Human Rights, obliges the government to take reasonable steps to ensure that its service personnel do not face the risk of death except in lawful military activities. | They say that the right to life, enshrined in Article 2 of the European Convention on Human Rights, obliges the government to take reasonable steps to ensure that its service personnel do not face the risk of death except in lawful military activities. |
This claim was previously dismissed by the Court of Appeal. | This claim was previously dismissed by the Court of Appeal. |
It ruled that the question of whether the UK had acted lawfully in sending its troops to Iraq was not a matter for the courts, since decisions of policy made in the areas for foreign affairs and defence were issues for which the government alone was responsible. | |
The hearing is expected to last three days. | The hearing is expected to last three days. |