Investigator of 'SAS' incident at Basra police station Dead
timesonline: Top military investigator is found dead in Basra
The British military officer in charge of all investigations against troops serving in Iraq has been found dead in his accommodation block in Basra. He is believed to have taken his own life.
Captain Ken Masters, 40, commanding officer of 61 Section of the Royal Military Police Special Investigations Branch (SIB), had been under pressure to bring to a conclusion a number of allegations relating to incidents in which Iraqi civilians had been killed.
The Royal Military Police has been working at full stretch to complete investigations after claims against British troops ranging from fatal shootings of civilians to abuse of prisoners. [db emphasis] Captain Masters's biggest current investigation was ordered after the incident on September 19 when two SAS troopers had to be rescued by British troops in armoured vehicles after they had been arrested by Iraqi police. During a day of violent confrontations, the Iraqi authorities in Basra claimed that seven Iraqis were killed and 43 injured, many of them police.
The two SAS men had been engaged in undercover surveillance of several senior Iraqi police officers who were suspected of being behind a series of attacks on British troops.
Compensation to the families of alleged Iraqi victims who died during the fracas depended on the official investigation being carried out by Captain Masters and his team.
Captain Masters was married with two children.
Defence sources said there were no suspicious circumstances, but a post-mortem examination would be held. Link
The British military officer in charge of all investigations against troops serving in Iraq has been found dead in his accommodation block in Basra. He is believed to have taken his own life.
Captain Ken Masters, 40, commanding officer of 61 Section of the Royal Military Police Special Investigations Branch (SIB), had been under pressure to bring to a conclusion a number of allegations relating to incidents in which Iraqi civilians had been killed.
The Royal Military Police has been working at full stretch to complete investigations after claims against British troops ranging from fatal shootings of civilians to abuse of prisoners. [db emphasis] Captain Masters's biggest current investigation was ordered after the incident on September 19 when two SAS troopers had to be rescued by British troops in armoured vehicles after they had been arrested by Iraqi police. During a day of violent confrontations, the Iraqi authorities in Basra claimed that seven Iraqis were killed and 43 injured, many of them police.
The two SAS men had been engaged in undercover surveillance of several senior Iraqi police officers who were suspected of being behind a series of attacks on British troops.
Compensation to the families of alleged Iraqi victims who died during the fracas depended on the official investigation being carried out by Captain Masters and his team.
Captain Masters was married with two children.
Defence sources said there were no suspicious circumstances, but a post-mortem examination would be held. Link
posted by exoplanet at 11:46 PM
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