Understand
Military police investigator tells inquiry that senior officers prevented SAS murder probe from following evidence
Overview
A military police investigator, Delme Williams, has told a public inquiry that senior officers prevented his team from following evidence during Operation Northmoor, an investigation into alleged SAS executions in Afghanistan. Williams stated that the investigation was dictated from above, pressure was applied to shut it down, and crucial forensic photographs regarding a 2011 raid in Helmand Province were dismissed. The inquiry is examining allegations of unlawful killings by the SAS and whether the Royal Military Police investigations were adequate.
Key points
- Delme Williams, deputy senior investigating officer for Operation Northmoor, told a public inquiry that senior officers prevented investigators from following evidence.
- Williams stated that photographs showing low-level bullet marks, which appeared to contradict the SAS account of a 2011 raid in Helmand Province, were abruptly dismissed by a senior commander.
- Internal documents showed a confirmed end date for Operation Northmoor in September 2017 while evidence gathering was still ongoing, amid perceived pressure to close the probe.
- The inquiry also heard that former Army head Sir Nick Carter asked the Royal Military Police to cut investigation staff to 25.
- Operation Northmoor investigated 45 killings by an SAS squadron in 2011 but resulted in no criminal charges.