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Growing concern over UK's plans for secret inquests

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

London, April 6, IRNA
UK-Inquests
Bereaved soldiers' families have joined relatives of the victims of 7/7 London bombings in expressing concern that the government has a hidden agenda behind its proposals to hold secret inquests without a jury on grounds of nationals security.

The proposal to allow evidence to be assessed in private where national security or international relations are jeopardized follows controversy over cases in which the US has been criticized for the deaths of UK soldiers in friendly fire incidents in Iraq.

According to the Observer newspaper Sunday, army families fear that the truth can be concealed about the deaths of soldiers killed in friendly fire or other controversial incidents.

The new powers to allow secret inquests are contained in the government's latest counter-terrorism bill now before Parliament, over which the main controversy has raged over plans to extend pre-charge detention from 28 days to six weeks.

Last month, concern was expressed by relatives of the 56 people killed in the July 7 bombings, who have already waited nearly three years for inquests and have been denied a public inquiry into Britain's most lethal terrorist incident.

The Observer reported that the opposition Conservatives have written privately to Home Secretary Jacqui Smith to express concern about the proposals to appoint vetted coroners from a selected pool in sensitive inquests.

"Parliament will be very skeptical about giving the government the power to appoint the coroner, disband the jury and hold inquests in secret," shadow home secretary David Davies said. He said no case had been made that these powers are either necessary or appropriate.

Labor MP Joan Humble, who chairs an all-party group on army deaths, has also warned that the fears of many bereaved families is that 'investigations be subject to interference from on high and cover-up that is incapable of challenge'.

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