Inquest date finally announced for six Army cops brutally executed by Iraqi mob
Fresh evidence emerges in relation to the six Royal Military Policemen who were killed in town of Majar al-Kabir in 2003
A DECISION to order a new inquest into the murder of six Red Caps in Iraq is "imminent".
Attorney General Jeremy Wright has told lawyers to expect his decision within "a couple of weeks".
The six Military Police were executed by a mob when they went to meet Iraqi officers in 2003.
The circumstances surrounding their murders has been the subject of intense debate.
The announcement of a new inquiry was expected in January, but has been delayed because the case is so complex.
Four of the victims families are now seeking a new inquest claiming they have unearthed new evidence.
A previous inquest was held in 2005 which found the six were killed within minutes of being attacked.
However the families now believe the Army failed in its obligations to protect the lives of soldiers and to carry out a proper investigation into their deaths.
The four families represented are relatives of Corporal Russell Aston, 30, Corporal Simon Miller, 21, Lance Corporal Benjamin Hyde, 23 and Lance Corporal Tom Keys, 20.
The other two men who died were Sergeant Simon Hamilton-Jewell, 41, and Corporal Paul Long, 24.
The fight for justice was made into a hit BBC drama last month, where Keys grieving dad, Reg takes on the establishment and Tony Blair.
A source talking about the new inquest said: “The process of weighing up all the evidence has come to an end.
“The lawyers have been told that a decision is imminent and expected within weeks.
“The delay has been because the assessment has been in-depth and the case is complex.”
Attorney General Wright has the power to order a second inquest into execution of the Red Caps.
The Ministry of Defence and coroner believe there is no evidence to support a fresh inquest.
The men were armed with only 50 ammunition rounds each and were without a satellite phone.
They were there to liaise with Iraqi officers and were not told the area was dangerous.
A recent dossier has been sent to the Attorney General which includes new evidence from an ex-SAS soliders, known as Cononel X and Captain T.
Colonel X is believed to have claimed British spies knew an Iranian-inspired attack was likely but that the troops were not told.
It has also claimed the four were not killed immediately, as claimed by the 2005 inquiry, but executed by a insurgent called Rufieq.