'Cover-up' fears over Iraq deaths

The six deaths were the regiment's biggest single loss for 50 years

Some of the relatives of six British soldiers killed as they defended a police station in Iraq fear a cover-up in the inquiry into their deaths.

Families of the Red Caps who died have criticised the Ministry of Defence (MoD) for its handling of the investigation.

They claim it was taking too long and could last up to three years.

The military police officers who died at Al Majar Al-Kabir, near Basra, were members of the 156 Provo Company attached to 16 Air Assault Brigade, based in Colchester.

They let six men go into a town lightly armed, no proper radio communications and can't even see there is a problem around them and leave them to die Tony Fisher

They were killed in June, seven weeks after the war in Iraq ended.

They were trying to defend the police station after a confrontation in which local people complained about weapons searches and the use of plastic bullets.

Tony Fisher's 41-year-old brother Sergeant Simon Hamilton-Jewell from Chessington, Surrey, was among the dead.

On BBC One's current affairs programme Real Story, Mr Fisher was asked how confident he was that the Army report would be truthful.

"On a scale of one to 10, 0.5 because we, in three and a half months, have received virtually no information," he said.

He added: "What it will be is a cover up because they don't like to admit mistakes.

Waste of lives

"They let six men go into a town lightly armed, no proper radio communications and can't even see there is a problem around them and leave them to die."

He said someone had to answer for the waste of lives.

Relatives argue the men were operating without portable satellite phones and only had radios on vehicles which could not be removed.

Reg Keys, whose son Lance-Corporal Thomas Keys, Llanuwchyllyn in Wales, was among the dead, said: "They let those six lads drive into that town lightly armed with inadequate communications.

"Incompetence is the word to sum it up. Absolute incompetence.

"You hand your son over hoping they are going to be responsible, but I feel on this day the Army were irresponsible and I can't forgive them for that," he said.

'Premature release'

The other soldiers who died were Corporal Paul Long, 24, from Colchester, Corporal Simon Miller, 21, from Washington, Tyne and Wear, Lance-Corporal Benjamin Hyde, 23, from Northallerton, Yorkshire, and Corporal Russell Aston, 30, from Swadlincote, Derbyshire,

An MoD spokeswoman said "The premature release of any information may prejudice the outcome of any future proceedings that may result from the Royal Military Police's investigation."

She said they understood the families' desire for an early conclusion but it was vital to ensure that the investigation is as thorough as possible.

Real Story: BBC One, Monday 20 October at 1930 GMT.