Defence news in today’s papers includes Sir John Chilcot’s announcement yesterday that he is to publish the long-awaited report into the Iraq war next summer, and the Royal Navy has rescued more than 500 migrants.
Iraq inquiry
It is reported by most papers that Prime Minister David Cameron has made no attempt to hide his irritation at the publication date of the Chilcot report, announced yesterday as summer 2016. Papers say former Prime Minister Tony Blair has admitted he took eight months to respond to sections of the report that criticised him. The Times reports that the families of service personnel who died during the conflict expressed 'bitter disappointment' at the planned date.
Migrant rescue
The Telegraph, Daily Mail and The Sun all report that two Royal Navy warships rescued more than 500 migrants trying to cross the Mediterranean, after being given new powers to board and seize smuggling vessels. The latest rescue means that the Royal Navy has picked up almost 7,000 people since it joined an EU search and rescue mission. Defence Secretary Michael Fallon said:
The Royal Navy continues to demonstrate its invaluable work in the Mediterranean, saving 541 vulnerable lives. Our focus remains on hitting the criminal gangs responsible for endangering the lives of innocent people. We are determined to tackle this at source. The new powers we have to board boats and detain the smugglers will help us put an end to this trade in human misery.
Anne-Marie Ellement
The majority of papers report that two former soldiers have been charged with raping military policewoman Anne-Marie Ellement in 2009 – she killed herself at her barracks two years later. Thomas Fulton and Jeremy Jones, former corporals in the Royal Military Police, were each charged with two counts of rape. The alleged attack happened while the three were serving in Germany. Her family has welcomed the news. An MOD spokesperson said:
We are aware that two former soldiers have been charged with rape. This is a matter for the Service Prosecution Authority and it would be inappropriate for us to comment further while legal proceedings are on-going.
Alexander Blackman
The Daily Mail suggests that Royal Marines who attended a rally demanding justice for jailed comrade Alexander Blackman could lose half a day's pay as punishment or will have to undertake extra duties. Serving personnel defying an MOD ban by turning up at the demonstration in their green berets may face action by their commanding officers, the paper claims. The former Royal Marine was jailed for murdering a Taliban insurgent. The paper says those who turned up in civilian clothing would face no disciplinary action and that no serving personnel had yet been disciplined. An MOD spokesperson said:
Serving members of the military are given routine reminders that, according to the Queens Regulations RN, they are not to attend any political protests, marches, rallies or demonstrations. Any gathering which seeks to protest against a decision taken by the legal system or the government falls into this category.
The Ministry of Defence has followed and supported the legal process throughout this case. We respect the authority and decision of the court and will, of course, co-operate fully with any future legal process.
ISIL
The Telegraph runs a small piece saying Parliament's intelligence watchdog is to investigate the decision to launch an RAF drone strike which killed two Britons fighting with ISIL. Dominic Grieve, the chairman of the intelligence and security committee, said they would be examining the 'intelligence basis' for the action. The paper reports that Prime Minister David Cameron told the Commons last month that he had authorised the strike on the grounds that one of the militants – 21-year-old Reyaad Khan from Cardiff – represented a “clear and present danger.
