This is too predictable: murder an Iraqi and serve one year in prison. We have tried to watch for these cases, but unfortunately have missed a number of them. The pattern is all too clear – war crimes will no longer be punished in this new world order, courtesy of the USA.
First Brit War Crimes Convict Heads to Jail: UK Soldier Gets One Year for “Inhumane” Treatment of Iraqi Detainees
The first British soldier ever convicted of a war crime was officially dismissed from the Army on Monday and sent to jail to serve out a one-year sentence for the inhumane treatment of civilian detainees in Basra in 2003.
Following the hearing, a member of Payne’s legal team indicated that the condemned soldier, reportedly feeling abandoned by the Army and his superiors, may be ready to talk about others involved in the abuse of prisoners.
The case originated from Payne’s time stationed at the Basra Detention Center, where he and other soldiers enacted harsh treatment on detainees under their supervision, beating one to death. Baha Mousa had evidence of ninety-three separate wounds after his death. Six other soldiers were cleared of charges in Mousa’s death.
Payne himself was earlier cleared of manslaughter and perverting the course of justice by a court martial, but admissions he made during those proceedings led him to be charged with war crimes under the International Criminal Court Act 2001.
Payne reportedly enjoyed conducting a “chorus” of prisoners: lining them up hooded and shackled, punching and kicking to create the “music” of screams, grunts, and cries. The Guardian’s report makes clear that while the judge slammed Payne for doing something “particularly harmful” to the reputation of British troops, Justice McKinnon did not reserve criticism only for the soldier …
Read it here.
