Muslim airman loses Iraq case

LAC Moshin Khan said fighting was contrary to his faith

An RAF reservist has lost his appeal against disciplinary action which was taken against him after he left his base because he thought he would be sent to Iraq.

Leading Aircraftsman Moshin Khan, 24, a Muslim, went absent without leave from RAF Honington in Suffolk in February and March.

He was arrested under the Air Force Act of 1955 and sentenced last month to seven days' loss of privileges and nine days' loss of pay.

LAC Khan, from Woodbridge, Suffolk, later challenged the ruling at a military tribunal saying he had thought he would be sent to Iraq.

Rules of the Koran

LAC Khan said his faith made him think the war was unjustified.

He also said his religion would only allow him to fight in self defence, and that breaking the rules of the Koran meant he would go to hell.

The RAF maintained LAC Khan was not going to be sent to Iraq. He had been called up for deployment in the UK in support of personnel who were going out to the country.

On Wednesday the military court at Uxbridge upheld the disciplinary action taken against him.

RAF spokesman Dale Donovan said Judge Advocate Bayliss had ruled he would not review that part of the sentence as it was an administrative punishment.

Duty and religion

LAC Khan joined the RAF as a medical assistant in December 1999 and left the service in April 2001 but was still a reservist.

He had reported for pre-deployment training at RAF Cranwell in Lincolnshire but failed to turn up at RAF Honington on 24 February.

LAC Khan, an insurance clerk with Churchill in Ipswich, said he had been torn between his duty and his religion during the pre-deployment training.

He had finally made the decision not to go to RAF Honington the weekend before he was due at the base.

A Ministry of Defence spokesman said they were pleased with the judgement and the outcome of the case.