Oxfordshire's Assistant Deputy Coroner Andrew Walker is writing to Lord Goldsmith to ask whether the American soldiers responsible be brought to justice
Mr Lloyd's family called the Americans responsible "murderers" and "trigger-happy cowboys"......
U.S marines accused of murdering ITN journalist
By DAVID WILLIAMS and TOM KELLY
13th October 2006
Terry Lloyd was praised as a professional journalist
A Coroner is to ask the attorney general to consider bringing charges against US troops who killed ITN reporter Terry Lloyd in southern Iraq.
After hearing how the 50-year-old correspondent had died from a bullet in the head fired into the back of a makeshift civilian ambulance by American Marines, Oxfordshire Assistant Deputy Coroner Andrew Walker said he would would write to Lord Goldsmith to ask him to investigate whether those responsible for the death could be prosecuted.
Recording a verdict of unlawful killing, Mr Walker said he would also ask the Director of Public Prosecutions Ken Macdonald QC "to see whether any steps can be taken to bring the perpetrators responsible for this to justice".
His highly unusal move at the end of an eight-day inquest was immediately backed by Mr Lloyd's family, who described the death as murder and a "despicable and deliberate" act carried out by "trigger happy cowboys."
Chelsey Lloyd, the reporter's 24-year-old daughter, said outside the court :"We have waited for three and a half years to hear the truth of how and why my father died whilst trying to report the war for millions of viewers back home.
"Finally, we have heard and seen evidence which proves without doubt that my father was unlawfully killed by a bullet to the head from a heavy calibre machine-gun fired by US Marines. The killing of my father would seem to amount to murder which is deeply shocking."
Her words were echoed by her mother, Lynn, who said her husband's killing was a "war crime" under the Geneva Convention, a "deliberate, vengeful act."
Mr Lloyd, a highly experienced foreign correspondent, died near Basra, Iraq's second city, in March 2003 while covering the early stages of the US-led invasion to topple Saddam Hussein.
His Lebanese interpreter, Hussein Osman, was also killed and French cameraman Fred Nerac is still officially classed as missing, presumed dead. Belgian cameraman Daniel Demoustierwas the ITN crew's only survivor.
The inquest and exhaustive investigations by ITN and the Royal Military Police appeared to uncover evidence of a US cover-up into the shootings.
• Crucial footage showing US troops firing on Mr Lloyd appeared to have been deliberately edited out. A forensic video expert estimated 15 minutes had been cut from the film of the incident taken by a cameraman attached to the Marines.
• The cameraman was not identified or available to give evidence.
• The US authorities initially officially denied in writing they were at the scene when the ITN crew were attacked.
• The American soldiers involved in the shooting refused to give evidence in person.
• The US authorities refused to consent to the names of the US witnesses, believed to be about 10, being publicly disclosed.
• Mr Walker refused to accept "self-serving statements" from US soldiers, suggesting he may not have believed them.
• The body of Fred Nerac remains missing ? Was it removed by the Americans or do they know what happened to it?
Mr Lloyd and his team were covering the invasion as "unilaterals", correspondents not attached to the military and were in two four-wheel drive vehicles clearly marked TV.
They became caught-up in a firefight between US and Iraqi forces near the Shatt Al Basra Bridge in which Mr Lloyd's vehicle was hit and burst into flames.
He was injured by an Iraqi bullet but survived and was able to walk to a civilian minibus driven by an Iraqi which stopped to pick-up the wounded. Mr Lloyd was lying on the back seat when the US forces, for some unexplained reason, opened fire on the vehicle.
A ballistics expert said Mr Lloyd was struck in the head by an M62 tracer bullet from an American tank.
In a statement, the Iraqi driver told how he opened the rear hatchback on arrival at hospital to find the journalist dead. His vehicle had several bullet holes in it.
The coroner said that, had Mr Lloyd died in the first hail of bullets, as he and his team were intercepted by an Iraqi pick-up truck with mounted machine gun, even though he was in a marked TV vehicle, he would have considered the US actions "self-defence".
As it was, Mr Walker said, the Americans opened fire on the civilian minibus picking up casualties, even though it "presented no threat to American forces".
He said: "I have no doubt it was the fact that the vehicle stopped to pick up survivors that prompted the Americans to fire at the vehicle. "I am sure it was the intention of those who opened fire to kill or cause serious injury to those inside the minibus."
Mr Walker added that he attached no blame for what happened to Mr Lloyd's ITN bosses, saying the company had prepared fully for the mission. He paid tribute to the ITN team as "members of a rare breed, whose professionalism and dedication in the face of great personal danger is and can only be admired by those they left behind. I am certain that the world is a lesser place for their deaths."
David Mannion, ITN's Editor-in-Chief and Chelsey Lloyd's godfather, said the company would fully support Mr Lloyd's family to "bring those responsible for Terry's death to account before a court of law".
"All of us want and need to know the truth," he said, "Terry Lloyd was killed in an unlawful act by a US Marine who fired directly at the civilian minibus in which Terry, already badly injured, lay helpless.
"But we do not know the identity of the Marine who shot him." Mr Mannion added: "I would also like to say something that I know Terry would have wished me to say. Independent, unilateral reporting, free from official strictures, is crucial; not simply to us as journalists but to the role we play in a free and democratic society."
Despite the verdict and the coroner's moves, it is unlikely that the US authorities will ever allow anyone to be brought to trial.
While a signatory to the Geneva Convention, the US does not recognise the jurisdiction for its citizens of the International Criminal Court in the Hague which deals with war crimes.
International legal experts also said it was unlikely the US would recognise either the jurisdiction of a British court over an American operating in Iraq during war.
Last night a US Defence Department spokesman said an investigation into the shooting had been completed in May 2003 and had concluded US forces had followed their rules of engagement.
The spokesman added: "We have always gone to extreme measures to avoid civilian casualties and collateral damage. It has been an unfortunate reality that journalists have died in Iraq. "Combat operations are inherently dangerous and we do not take lightly our responsibilities in the conduct of these operations."
However, a spokesman for the National Union of Journalists backed calls for prosecutions.
"We welcome the coroner's decision to report his finding to the Attorney General and the DPP, and believe they should immediately commence proceedings to bring the perpetrators of what is nothing short of a war crime to justice," he said.
"The killing of journalists with impunity must never, ever go unpunished. Any attempt to silence journalists in this way must never succeed."
READERS' COMMENTS
Well lets see if justice is done and the US troops are brought to trail.
- Steve Tyne, London
*****************************************
yet another brit killed by "friendly" fire. He had already been shot by iraqis, the americans finished him off. Let these Americans be brought to trial and perhaps there will be some justice after all, but sadly not for Terry's family or the other families in this illegal war.
- Jean Smith, UK
******************************************
It's only friendly fire. Again.
Why does anyone trust trigger-happy US soldiers?
*************************************************
have to say that, as a Canadian, I have very little faith in the US military to get the job done without making this kind of mess. They've killed 6 Canadian soldiers in Afghanistan, now - 5 of whom were nowhere near a combat zone, add that to the 30 that two A-10's wounded during a Canadian-led attack during fierce fighting and it starts to seem like more hearings are needed, and more gaol time awarded.
- Jesse Corbeil, Montréal, Canada
****************************************
He was killed by a bunch of trigger happy cowboys.
- William Peden, Cumbernauld, Scotland, UK
****************************************
It's only friendly fire. Again.
Why does anyone trust trigger-happy US soldiers?
- Mike, Basingstoke
*****************************************
The Americans have shown themselves to be trigger happy and less than professional.
In fact our British soliders are probably more at danger from their supposed allies than the insurgents.
- Steve, Darwen, U.K
**************************************
If this had been an American news reporter killed by British Troops in the same way as Terry Lloyd was killed our troops would be on their way to America to face murder charges.
- David Falconer, Nottingham
***********************************
Terry Loyd and his colleagues were on the front lines driving towards US armored troops from the direction of enemy forces in the midst of a battle during the Iraq war. They never shoud have been out there in the first place and they made a series of fatal mistakes. It is a tragedy, but hardly a war crime.
When you play in the middle of the road, sometimes you get run over.
- J House, Atlanta, USA (admitting that US soldiers are cowards?)
dailymail.co.uk
British soldiers will always be the best - and the best-trained - in the world.
Mr Lloyd's family called the Americans responsible "murderers" and "trigger-happy cowboys"......
U.S marines accused of murdering ITN journalist
By DAVID WILLIAMS and TOM KELLY
13th October 2006
A Coroner is to ask the attorney general to consider bringing charges against US troops who killed ITN reporter Terry Lloyd in southern Iraq.
After hearing how the 50-year-old correspondent had died from a bullet in the head fired into the back of a makeshift civilian ambulance by American Marines, Oxfordshire Assistant Deputy Coroner Andrew Walker said he would would write to Lord Goldsmith to ask him to investigate whether those responsible for the death could be prosecuted.
Recording a verdict of unlawful killing, Mr Walker said he would also ask the Director of Public Prosecutions Ken Macdonald QC "to see whether any steps can be taken to bring the perpetrators responsible for this to justice".
His highly unusal move at the end of an eight-day inquest was immediately backed by Mr Lloyd's family, who described the death as murder and a "despicable and deliberate" act carried out by "trigger happy cowboys."
Chelsey Lloyd, the reporter's 24-year-old daughter, said outside the court :"We have waited for three and a half years to hear the truth of how and why my father died whilst trying to report the war for millions of viewers back home.
"Finally, we have heard and seen evidence which proves without doubt that my father was unlawfully killed by a bullet to the head from a heavy calibre machine-gun fired by US Marines. The killing of my father would seem to amount to murder which is deeply shocking."
Her words were echoed by her mother, Lynn, who said her husband's killing was a "war crime" under the Geneva Convention, a "deliberate, vengeful act."
Mr Lloyd, a highly experienced foreign correspondent, died near Basra, Iraq's second city, in March 2003 while covering the early stages of the US-led invasion to topple Saddam Hussein.
His Lebanese interpreter, Hussein Osman, was also killed and French cameraman Fred Nerac is still officially classed as missing, presumed dead. Belgian cameraman Daniel Demoustierwas the ITN crew's only survivor.
The inquest and exhaustive investigations by ITN and the Royal Military Police appeared to uncover evidence of a US cover-up into the shootings.
• Crucial footage showing US troops firing on Mr Lloyd appeared to have been deliberately edited out. A forensic video expert estimated 15 minutes had been cut from the film of the incident taken by a cameraman attached to the Marines.
• The cameraman was not identified or available to give evidence.
• The US authorities initially officially denied in writing they were at the scene when the ITN crew were attacked.
• The American soldiers involved in the shooting refused to give evidence in person.
• The US authorities refused to consent to the names of the US witnesses, believed to be about 10, being publicly disclosed.
• Mr Walker refused to accept "self-serving statements" from US soldiers, suggesting he may not have believed them.
• The body of Fred Nerac remains missing ? Was it removed by the Americans or do they know what happened to it?
Mr Lloyd and his team were covering the invasion as "unilaterals", correspondents not attached to the military and were in two four-wheel drive vehicles clearly marked TV.
They became caught-up in a firefight between US and Iraqi forces near the Shatt Al Basra Bridge in which Mr Lloyd's vehicle was hit and burst into flames.
He was injured by an Iraqi bullet but survived and was able to walk to a civilian minibus driven by an Iraqi which stopped to pick-up the wounded. Mr Lloyd was lying on the back seat when the US forces, for some unexplained reason, opened fire on the vehicle.
A ballistics expert said Mr Lloyd was struck in the head by an M62 tracer bullet from an American tank.
In a statement, the Iraqi driver told how he opened the rear hatchback on arrival at hospital to find the journalist dead. His vehicle had several bullet holes in it.
The coroner said that, had Mr Lloyd died in the first hail of bullets, as he and his team were intercepted by an Iraqi pick-up truck with mounted machine gun, even though he was in a marked TV vehicle, he would have considered the US actions "self-defence".
As it was, Mr Walker said, the Americans opened fire on the civilian minibus picking up casualties, even though it "presented no threat to American forces".
He said: "I have no doubt it was the fact that the vehicle stopped to pick up survivors that prompted the Americans to fire at the vehicle. "I am sure it was the intention of those who opened fire to kill or cause serious injury to those inside the minibus."
Mr Walker added that he attached no blame for what happened to Mr Lloyd's ITN bosses, saying the company had prepared fully for the mission. He paid tribute to the ITN team as "members of a rare breed, whose professionalism and dedication in the face of great personal danger is and can only be admired by those they left behind. I am certain that the world is a lesser place for their deaths."
David Mannion, ITN's Editor-in-Chief and Chelsey Lloyd's godfather, said the company would fully support Mr Lloyd's family to "bring those responsible for Terry's death to account before a court of law".
"All of us want and need to know the truth," he said, "Terry Lloyd was killed in an unlawful act by a US Marine who fired directly at the civilian minibus in which Terry, already badly injured, lay helpless.
"But we do not know the identity of the Marine who shot him." Mr Mannion added: "I would also like to say something that I know Terry would have wished me to say. Independent, unilateral reporting, free from official strictures, is crucial; not simply to us as journalists but to the role we play in a free and democratic society."
Despite the verdict and the coroner's moves, it is unlikely that the US authorities will ever allow anyone to be brought to trial.
While a signatory to the Geneva Convention, the US does not recognise the jurisdiction for its citizens of the International Criminal Court in the Hague which deals with war crimes.
International legal experts also said it was unlikely the US would recognise either the jurisdiction of a British court over an American operating in Iraq during war.
Last night a US Defence Department spokesman said an investigation into the shooting had been completed in May 2003 and had concluded US forces had followed their rules of engagement.
The spokesman added: "We have always gone to extreme measures to avoid civilian casualties and collateral damage. It has been an unfortunate reality that journalists have died in Iraq. "Combat operations are inherently dangerous and we do not take lightly our responsibilities in the conduct of these operations."
However, a spokesman for the National Union of Journalists backed calls for prosecutions.
"We welcome the coroner's decision to report his finding to the Attorney General and the DPP, and believe they should immediately commence proceedings to bring the perpetrators of what is nothing short of a war crime to justice," he said.
"The killing of journalists with impunity must never, ever go unpunished. Any attempt to silence journalists in this way must never succeed."
READERS' COMMENTS
Well lets see if justice is done and the US troops are brought to trail.
- Steve Tyne, London
*****************************************
yet another brit killed by "friendly" fire. He had already been shot by iraqis, the americans finished him off. Let these Americans be brought to trial and perhaps there will be some justice after all, but sadly not for Terry's family or the other families in this illegal war.
- Jean Smith, UK
******************************************
It's only friendly fire. Again.
Why does anyone trust trigger-happy US soldiers?
*************************************************
have to say that, as a Canadian, I have very little faith in the US military to get the job done without making this kind of mess. They've killed 6 Canadian soldiers in Afghanistan, now - 5 of whom were nowhere near a combat zone, add that to the 30 that two A-10's wounded during a Canadian-led attack during fierce fighting and it starts to seem like more hearings are needed, and more gaol time awarded.
- Jesse Corbeil, Montréal, Canada
****************************************
He was killed by a bunch of trigger happy cowboys.
- William Peden, Cumbernauld, Scotland, UK
****************************************
It's only friendly fire. Again.
Why does anyone trust trigger-happy US soldiers?
- Mike, Basingstoke
*****************************************
The Americans have shown themselves to be trigger happy and less than professional.
In fact our British soliders are probably more at danger from their supposed allies than the insurgents.
- Steve, Darwen, U.K
**************************************
If this had been an American news reporter killed by British Troops in the same way as Terry Lloyd was killed our troops would be on their way to America to face murder charges.
- David Falconer, Nottingham
***********************************
Terry Loyd and his colleagues were on the front lines driving towards US armored troops from the direction of enemy forces in the midst of a battle during the Iraq war. They never shoud have been out there in the first place and they made a series of fatal mistakes. It is a tragedy, but hardly a war crime.
When you play in the middle of the road, sometimes you get run over.
- J House, Atlanta, USA (admitting that US soldiers are cowards?)
dailymail.co.uk
British soldiers will always be the best - and the best-trained - in the world.
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What a joke