British soldier charged with murder

LONDON – A British soldier was arrested yesterday on charges of having murdered an Iraqi civilian while serving in southern Iraq last year, police said yesterday.

The Metropolitan Police said Kevin Lee Williams, 21, a trooper with the Second Royal Tank Regiment, was taken into custody at a London police station where he was charged. He was to appear in magistrates court in central London later yesterday on charges of murdering Hassan Said on August 3 last year in the town of Ad-Dayr, 20 kilometres north of Basra, police said.Detectives were asked to investigate his death by the British government earlier this year.Shortly before the police statement, prime minister Tony Blair hinted at a press conference that an arrest was about to be made.Asked about allegations of criminality and misconduct against British soldiers in Iraq, Blair said: “There are rules that our soldiers abide by, and incidentally the vast majority of them do the whole time, but anyone who commits a criminal offence will be charged, as we made clear.”I think the attorney general may say a little bit more about this in due course,” he added.But Blair stressed: “The vast majority of British soldiers in Iraq, as elsewhere, are absolute heroes who do a fantastic job.”Attorney General Lord Peter Goldsmith was expected to make a statement in connection with the case later yesterday, Downing Street sources said.Nampa-AFPHe was to appear in magistrates court in central London later yesterday on charges of murdering Hassan Said on August 3 last year in the town of Ad-Dayr, 20 kilometres north of Basra, police said.Detectives were asked to investigate his death by the British government earlier this year.Shortly before the police statement, prime minister Tony Blair hinted at a press conference that an arrest was about to be made.Asked about allegations of criminality and misconduct against British soldiers in Iraq, Blair said: “There are rules that our soldiers abide by, and incidentally the vast majority of them do the whole time, but anyone who commits a criminal offence will be charged, as we made clear.”I think the attorney general may say a little bit more about this in due course,” he added.But Blair stressed: “The vast majority of British soldiers in Iraq, as elsewhere, are absolute heroes who do a fantastic job.”Attorney General Lord Peter Goldsmith was expected to make a statement in connection with the case later yesterday, Downing Street sources said.Nampa-AFP