'Suicide' in Basra: Another David Kelly?
Is this an Iraq version of the David Kelly affair, the claimed suicide of
a former UK weapons inspector soon after he hit the media spotlight?by Fintan Dunne,
http://www.BreakForNews.com, 29 June, '06
An inquest in Britain has just heard that a senior UK army officer based in
Iraq, who allegedly took his own life was, according to a colleague, being
"hindered by forces outside of our control."It's a case disturbingly similar to the claimed 'suicide' of former weapons
inspector Dr. David Kelly. Like Kelly, the deceased officer was also
working in a 'sensitive' area. He was the senior military police
investigator in Iraq and was the senior officer investigating cases against
British forces on behalf of Iraqi civilians.
These investigations must have included the claims just before his death that
an occupying forces team arrested by Iraqis --then freed, by UK soldiers--
had been engaged in planting bombs to be blamed on the Iraqi resistance.
GRISLY DISCOVERYOn Saturday 15 October 2005, the body of Captain Ken Masters was
discovered in his accommodation in Waterloo Lines, Basra, according to
the BBC. He was found hanged with a bootlace.
Captain Masters, was married with two children and was due to go home
within two weeks of his death.
The UK Independent, reported that investigators found no suicide note.
Masters was not receiving any medical or psychological treatment, and
friends and colleagues said that his death had come as a "total surprise".
(Independent, UK)
One officer said: "It is hard to believe he found it hard to cope with work.
It is possible he had personal problems." (Mirror, UK)
TROOPS LOCKED-DOWN AFTER DEATH The Independent also reported apparent disagreements between
British military commanding officers and the military police officials
investigating military personnel. Just days before Masters' death, General
Sir Michael Jackson, Chief of the General Staff had arrived in Basra to
deal personally with the matter.
Masters' death seemed to have caused an initial response that suggested
a possible murder had taken place. According to the UK Mirror, early on
that Saturday evening troops in Basra were confined to barracks after a
"no personnel or vehicle movement" order was delivered by Tannoy.
A search of the camp was ordered and ranks were told not to leave
their tents.
According to the BBC, the death was investigated by the Royal Military
Police --which is hardly likely to inspire full confidence in the
independence of the outcome.
ELEPHANT IN THE LIVING ROOMWhen a colleague of Masters, Warrant Officer Philip Floyd told the inquest
that their inquiries were being "hindered by forces outside of our control",
the London Times dryly noted that "He did not explain what he meant by
that phrase...".
The newspaper merely recounted that "the Royal Military Police had to
investigate every incident where British troops had opened fire and
civilians had been wounded or killed."
That fails to mention that surely the biggest hot potato of his Iraq tenure
had just landed on Masters' desk: the charges by local Iraqis that they
had intercepted two SAS men or perhaps Israelis who were about to plant
a bomb to be blamed on an Iraqi faction. An illegal "black operation"
designed to discredit or confound the enemy.
The big question is: was Ken Masters in receipt of evidence implicating UK
forces in "black-ops" in the Basra area involving the planting of bombs
and thus, the murder of innocent Iraqis?
And did he find himself, as a man of common conscience, suddenly an
impediment to forces Dr. David Kelly, in similar circumstances, has
referred to as "dark actors, playing games".
Even leaving aside this chilling aspect to his death, the tale of how a man
caught between war objectives and his sworn duty, paid for his position
with his life is surely one that merits more probing press coverage than
to date.
The missing word is all this is 'murder'. A crime which hinges on means,
motive and opportunity.
The need for a murder inquiry is clear, because those with the most
'motive' and 'opportunity' happen to be professionally trained in the
'means' of making murder most foul, look like suicide.
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http://www.breakfornews.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=342Copyright Free if replicated in entirety.
Stress of Army officer found hanged in Iraq By Michael Evans, The Times, June 28, 2006
THE head of the Army’s Special Investigations Branch in Iraq, involved in a huge workload, was found hanging by a bootlace in his barracks room, an inquest was told.
Captain Kenneth Masters, 40, who commanded 61 Section of the Royal Military Police’s Special Investigation Branch, had become “stressed and frustrated”, the inquest at Swindon was told yesterday.
He had been involved in investigations into allegations of abusive treatment of Iraqi detainees by British soldiers.
The body of Captain Masters, who had sought medical help, was found at the base at Basra airport in October.
Warrant Officer Philip Floyd told the court: “He was very conscientious. He had a sense of frustration in that the procedures we had to conduct in the Warrant Officer Philip Floyd told the court” He did not explain what he meant by that phrase but the Royal Military Police had to investigate every incident where British troops had opened fire and civilians had been wounded or killed.
Captain Masters seemed to think he had disappointed others, the warrant officer said. When a soldier was found drunk on duty he took personal charge of the inquiry.
“He took it very personally and worried that it would lead to disciplinary action. He became more and more indecisive but I never picked up anything from members of the section that was disparaging.”
In the officers’ mess the day before he died he was withdrawn. “He said he had been having a difficult time and that he had some personal circumstances but didn’t elaborate,” Warrant Officer Floyd said.
The inquest continues.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,3-2246567,00.html