British Soldiers Refuse to Fight Indo-Asian News Service
LONDON, 31 March 2003 - Two British servicemen have been sent home from the Middle East after refusing to fight in the war against Iraq, The Sunday Times reported. They said they would refuse to fight because of the civilian casualties being caused by the US-British attack. They face possible court martial and up to two years in jail for disobeying orders. The two British soldiers are from 16 Air Assault Brigade, a frontline unit, which has been engaged in heavy fighting in southern Iraq. Their lawyer says they were ordered to return to the brigade's barracks in Colchester, Essex, after raising their objections earlier this month. The cases were confirmed this weekend by Justin Hugheston-Roberts, a solicitor advocate who chairs Forces Law, a nationwide group of 22 law firms that acts for service personnel and their families. "These cases are being handled by a very experienced lawyer," he said. Gilbert Blades, a Lincoln-based lawyer, said the Ministry of Defense was trying to hush up the cases because it feared a public relations disaster.
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