Ex-police chief condemns investigation into alleged Afghanistan war crimes by UK Special Forces
Ex-police chief condemns investigation into alleged Afghanistan war crimes by UK Special Forces
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A retired senior police chief has told an inquiry the Royal Military Police's initial investigation into alleged war crimes by UK Special Forces in Afghanistan was "slow to commence, sluggish in its progress, and never properly resourced". Alan Pughsley QPM, who has 39 years of experience in investigating serious and organised crimes, had been asked by the Independent Inquiry Relating to Afghanistan to produce a desktop review of two RMP investigations including Operation Northmoor which began in March 2014.
The inquiry is investigating claims made in a BBC Panorama programme that innocent Afghan civilians were executed by three out of four SAS squadrons between 2010 and 2013. Evidence submitted to the inquiry suggests as many as 80 people were killed this way during a campaign of night raids.
The RMP launched Operation Northmoor on 31 March 2014, three years after the alleged war crimes. Mr Pughsley, whose conclusions have not yet been finalised, said the most senior investigating officer (SIO) lacked experience for such a significant investigation.
He identified Operation Northmoor as a Category A investigation - the most serious of its kind but said it "did not progress at the pace, breadth or depth that is required for a Category A investigation". He said the investigation's gold commanders kept few records, minutes were scant, and very few key witnesses were spoken to on time.
