Charges dropped in British military police case
- 14 years ago
Charges against two Iraqis accused of the murders of six British military policemen more than seven years ago have been dropped by a judge in Baghdad.
The Red Caps were killed when a mob of about 400 people attacked a police station in Majar al-Kabir, southern Iraq, in June 2003.
Hamza Hateer and Mussa Ismael al Fartusi were due to stand trial at the central criminal court in Baghdad but the case was dropped at a hearing.
Chief Justice Baleagh Hamdi Hikmat dropped the charges saying there was not enough evidence to prosecute.
The judge adjourned a hearing last month to give witnesses time to travel but no eyewitnesses were brought into court.
The three-judge panel questioned nine people - mostly Iraqi police - but none said they saw the killings of the Royal Military Police officers near Basra.
One of those questioned said he saw one defendant taking the weapon of a dead soldier.
The court said it will pursue charges on the theft but the murder charge was dropped.