phoenix80
Banned
Sep. 20, 2005 18:37
UK troops free two comrades in Basra
By ASSOCIATED PRESS
LONDON
British forces acted correctly in moving forcefully to free two comrades who had been arrested in Basra, southern Iraq, Defense Secretary John Reid said Tuesday.
The Ministry of Defense said today that when the soldiers were not released, British forces broke down a perimeter wall at the police station. Troops did not find the two men, but found evidence which led them to a house where they were held captive, the ministry said.
Reid, in an interview with the British Broadcasting Corp., said two soldiers should have been handed over to British forces after they were arrested by Iraqi police.
Brig. John Lorimer, commander of the 12th Mechanized Brigade in Basra, said in a statement that the two soldiers wound up in the custody of Iraqi militias.
"We don't actually know the details of why these people were handed over, whether it was under threats or by collusion, or whatever," Reid said. "What we do know is that under the law they should have been handed back to the British forces themselves. That is the law which enshrines our presence there."
http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=JPost/JPArticle/ShowFull&cid=1127182727052
UK troops free two comrades in Basra
By ASSOCIATED PRESS
LONDON
British forces acted correctly in moving forcefully to free two comrades who had been arrested in Basra, southern Iraq, Defense Secretary John Reid said Tuesday.
The Ministry of Defense said today that when the soldiers were not released, British forces broke down a perimeter wall at the police station. Troops did not find the two men, but found evidence which led them to a house where they were held captive, the ministry said.
Reid, in an interview with the British Broadcasting Corp., said two soldiers should have been handed over to British forces after they were arrested by Iraqi police.
Brig. John Lorimer, commander of the 12th Mechanized Brigade in Basra, said in a statement that the two soldiers wound up in the custody of Iraqi militias.
"We don't actually know the details of why these people were handed over, whether it was under threats or by collusion, or whatever," Reid said. "What we do know is that under the law they should have been handed back to the British forces themselves. That is the law which enshrines our presence there."
http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=JPost/JPArticle/ShowFull&cid=1127182727052