Closing SAS investigation was premature time, interrogated

The SAS had “inappropriate and prematurely” to shut down a military police investigation into suspected war crimes, a former police chief constable said in a public investigation on Monday.

An experienced crime explorer Alan Pughsla said that the Royal Military Police (RMP) had recalled its “one chance” to interview major witnesses and capture important digital evidences.

Mr. Pughsley was assigned by an independent investigation related to Afghanistan with a review of the first investigation by the RMP in the murder charges against SAS.

He said that in the investigation, senior officials were investigated with a lack of cooperation from the UK Special Forces Command along with “indifference and apathy”.

The inquiry is investigating whether there is reliable evidence that the SAS killed the score of unarmed people and citizens on the night raid during the Afghan struggle.

It was established after reporting by BBC Panorama An SAS squadron connected to 54 suspected deaths On a six -month tour of Afghanistan.

Mr. Pughsla reviewed two royal military police investigations – Operation Sestro, which was focused on one night raid, and Operation Northeemore, a huge investigation consisting of 11 separate special forces raids that attracted allegations of murder Did

He reported that the Inquiry Operation Northmur was a “complex, serious and difficult” investigation, saying: “It was an investigation into a murder as much as you can.”

Operation Northmur, which began in 2014 and eventually cost £ 10m, was discontinued in 2019, in which no fee was introduced. It has faced criticism over the years since clear failure to interview important witnesses or secure evidence related to allegations of additional judicial killings.

Mr. Pughsley told the court on Monday that the Northmur investigators’ experience level and resources at their disposal were “very poor and not in line with national needs”.

He said that he would not have discontinued the investigation that the major lines of the investigation are still outstanding, including “a large number of potential witnesses and forensic evidence”.

Operation Northmur Investigators have earlier told the BBC that they were blocked by senior military data when they reached the interview and forensic evidence of special forces.

The documents shown in the court on Monday depicted Captain Jason Wright in the early years of Northmur, which repeatedly disappoints the decision by his superiors – including Provost Marshal (Army) Brigadier David Neel and Gold Commander John Harvey include. Are – not to chase the UK Special. Force for witness interviews or to seize evidence.

There was a particular disappointment around the special forces of the UK, which obstructed the efforts by the RMP to receive a server, in which all the operating paperwork of the SAS was organized. The RMP investigators later revealed that when they were trying to receive the server, a special force contractor from the UK permanently removed the files.

Mr. Pughsle said that Captain Wright, who had completed his Senior Investigating Officer (SIO) training, was assigned to Operation Northmur a month ago, there was not enough experience to lead an investigation into such a complex murder. , Saying that there will be a huge investigation, a huge experienced police is a “big inquiry” for Sio.

Captain Wright, however, made important and prudent efforts to get evidence and progress the investigation – which was seen repeatedly by more senior officials, said Mr. Pugsle.

The former chief constable specially criticized the works of Brigadier Neil, who led to the closure of Operation Northmur, saying that he did not keep a policy file or logbook, explaining his decisions, or revived the investigation properly Did

Mr. Pughsla also gave an order from Brigadier Neil, in which the team was instructed not to use the £ 7.58M data handling system purchased by the RMP at the request of Captain Right – for which the brigade was not explained by the Brigadier, He said.

Tessa Gregory, a partner of Leh Dey, a legal firm representing condolences bereaved Afghan families, stated that my Pugsley’s testimony “raised potential failures at almost every stage of investigation”.

A statement continued: “Perhaps most of the subject, he believes that the investigation was prematurely and inappropriately closed and still outstanding with major lines of investigation.

“Apparently interrogation now needs to take more evidence from those who were involved with both and were overseeing Operation Northmur, to find out that this complex, multi-homized military police investigation so badly How did it go wrong. “