7 Royal Marines arrested on suspicion of murder

Zbornak · 11 Oct 2012 at 21:34

Seven Royal Marines have been arrested on suspicion of murder, the UK's Ministry of Defence (MoD) has said.

A statement said the arrests on Thursday by the Royal Military Police related to an incident in Afghanistan in 2011.

It said the incident followed an "engagement with an insurgent" but no civilians were involved.

The ministry statement did not name the marines or give any further details of the incident.

An MoD spokesman said: "The Royal Military Police have today arrested seven Royal Marines on suspicion of murder. The arrests relate to an incident in Afghanistan in 2011.

"The incident followed an engagement with an insurgent; there were no civilians involved. The investigation will now be taken forward and dealt with by the service justice system.

"These arrests demonstrate the Department and the Armed Forces' determination to ensure UK personnel act in accordance with their rules of engagement and our standards.

"It would be inappropriate to make any further comment while the investigation is under way."

BBC News

Interesting.

Strife212 · 11 Oct 2012 at 21:36

The incident followed an engagement with an insurgent; there were no civilians involved.

Sounds like they shot an insurgent after he threw a grenade at them so he was unarmed :rolleyes:

Gilly · 11 Oct 2012 at 21:37

I don't understand. Doesn't 'insurgent' roughly equate to 'man trying to kill British troops'?

Aod · 11 Oct 2012 at 21:38

Gilly said:
I don't understand. Doesn't 'insurgent' roughly equate to 'man trying to kill British troops'?

It could have been an insurgent attempting to surrender for all we know.

Uther · 11 Oct 2012 at 21:39

A strange war this, send soldiers out to kill, then get upset when they actually do that.

Dunks · 11 Oct 2012 at 21:39

Uther said:
A strange war this, send soldiers out to kill, then get upset when they actually do that.

What a ridiculous comment to make.

Craterloads · 11 Oct 2012 at 21:41

Hardly suprising, hang them all if guilty.

Strife212 · 11 Oct 2012 at 21:42

Whatever it is, it sounds pointless and bad for morale, if it was a civilian killed I would understand.

Daze · 11 Oct 2012 at 21:42

Sounds like they shot/executed the guy after he had dropped his weapon (sorry for speculating), completely wrong and of course none of them should ever stoop to the levels of the Taliban, although it would be almost justifiable/understandable if that was the situation. Will be a very sad day if any of these Marines end up in prison.

Richie · 11 Oct 2012 at 21:43

Craterloads said:
Hardly suprising, hang them all if guilty.

What is "hardly surprising"?

Richie · 11 Oct 2012 at 21:43

DaZe said:
Sounds like they shot/executed the guy after he had dropped his weapon (sorry for speculating), completely wrong although almost justifiable if that was the situation. Will be a very sad day if any of these Marines end up in prison.

It won't be the first time someone has walked up to troops then blown themselves up after pretending to surrender....

Zefan · 11 Oct 2012 at 21:44

Strife212 said:
Whatever it is, it sounds pointless and bad for morale, if it was a civilian killed I would understand.

The soldiers are killing civilians every day there. There is no nation vs nation warfare going on.

Craterloads · 11 Oct 2012 at 21:45

Richie said:
What is "hardly surprising"?

That soldiers have abused their positions and murdered unarmed or innocent civilians, its hardly a shocker.

Zbornak · 11 Oct 2012 at 21:45

Richie said:
What is "hardly surprising"?

I think he's suggesting that Royal Marines are gung-ho.

arctine · 11 Oct 2012 at 21:48

I'd hazard a guess that as 7 of them have been arrested, all 7 were firing at the same target and it can't be proven which of them fired the lethal round.

What the target was and why it was illegal remains a mystery.

Craterloads said:
That soldiers have abused their positions and murdered unarmed or innocent civilians, its hardly a shocker.

Oh I take it back, this guy knows what happened. Source?

Craterloads · 11 Oct 2012 at 21:54

arctine said:
I'd hazard a guess that as 7 of them have been arrested, all 7 were firing at the same target and it can't be proven which of them fired the lethal round.

What the target was and why it was illegal remains a mystery.

Oh I take it back, this guy knows what happened. Source?

You need a source to comprehend that soldiers have abused their positions in Afghanistan? You been living under a rock?

troops · 11 Oct 2012 at 21:55

must have had bullet wounds in his back from running away, still war is war if it was an insurgent.
Shame they don't play by the rules too.

Amleto · 11 Oct 2012 at 21:56

"The incident followed an engagement with an insurgent; there were no civilians involved.

Craterloads said:
That soldiers have abused their positions and murdered unarmed or innocent civilians, its hardly a shocker.

arctine · 11 Oct 2012 at 21:57

Craterloads said:
You need a source to comprehend that soldiers have abused their positions in Afghanistan? You been living under a rock?

I need a source that the soldiers in question, "have abused their positions and murdered unarmed or innocent civilians" because you know, that's an entirely different thing.

Craterloads · 11 Oct 2012 at 21:57

troops said:
must have had bullet wounds in his back from running away, still war is war if it was an insurgent.
Shame they don't play by the rules too.

Aren’t we there to show them how the civilised world works and to instil this? if we behave like "them" what makes us any better than them.

An insurgent is still a human being you know, not some rat.