UK soldiers on Iraq murder charge
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LONDON, England -- Seven British soldiers will face court martial for allegedly murdering an Iraqi civilian in Iraq, according to officials.
Attorney General Lord Goldsmith said on Thursday the soldiers would be tried over the death of Nadhem Abdullah in May 2003 in Al U'Zayra in southern Iraq, following a roadside incident.
The men are all from the 3rd Battalion, the Parachute Regiment, Goldsmith said in a statement to Parliament.
Goldsmith named three of the seven and said the remaining four would be identified later. Identified were Cpl. Scott Evans, Priv. William Nerney and Daniel Harding, who is now a civilian.
No date has yet been set for the court martial or a preliminary hearing.
The death of Abdullah was reported to have occurred after a car chase near a checkpoint in Basra.
Britain, which has about 9,000 troops serving in Iraq, has opened more than 130 investigations into deaths and injuries of Iraqis since joining the U.S.-led invasion in March 2003.
The incidents range from combat deaths to road accidents and deaths of Iraqis in custody.
Most of the investigations have been closed without further action being taken; 48 are ongoing and prosecutors are considering whether to proceed with a further nine cases, the Ministry of Defence said.
Four other cases have been brought to trial, including the ongoing court martial in Germany of three British soldiers accused of abusing Iraqi detainees. (Full story)
UK Prime Minister Tony Blair, whose popularity has been hit by the Iraq war, according to analysts, has condemned allegations of abuse by British soldiers.
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Associated Press contributed to this report.