Families of killed soldiers can sue UK govt. for negligence

The Supreme Court in Britain has ruled that families of soldiers killed in Iraq can bring damages claims against the government for negligence under the Human Rights Act.

This comes as cases were brought forward by the families of three British soldiers killed in Iraq, when their poorly protected Snatch Land Rovers were wiped out by roadside bombs.

The troops, Lee Ellis, Phillip Hewett, and Kirk Redpath died as a result of such attacks between 2005 and 2007.

Jocelyn Cockburn, a lawyer for the families said,” The court had established “that soldiers have human rights, and they do remain within the jurisdiction of the UK, and they don’t lose those because they are on the battlefield”.

The UK’s highest court’s decision will bring about many implications of the way the Ministry of Defence (MoD) should provide protection to the soldiers.

Britain’s Defense Secretary Philip Hammond said he is “very concerned at the wider implications of this judgment.”

A total of 179 British servicemen died after the invasion of Iraq in 2003. A few dozen died because of friendly fire or killed inside lightly armoured vehicles. The MoD, however, says they should not be held responsible for the deaths.