U.K. Soldier Was Unlawfully Killed by U.S. Pilots

March 16 (Bloomberg) -- A U.K. soldier was unlawfully killed by U.S. pilots in a 2003 ``friendly fire'' incident in Iraq, a coroner ruled today.

Lance Corporal of Horse Matty Hull, 25, died when he was targeted by two U.S. A-10 tankbusters near Basra. His death was the result of a criminal act, according to coroner Andrew Walker who conducted the inquest in Oxford.

The soldier's widow Susan Hull, 30, an assistant head teacher, burst into tears after the verdict. She told a televised news conference she felt ``badly let down'' by the government of U.S. President George W. Bush. A lack of U.S. cooperation with the investigation into her husband's death was ``very disappointing,'' she said.

The court was told that a cockpit video recording existed showing the U.S. planes attacking Hull's reconnaissance convoy. Walker adjourned proceedings on Feb. 2 after the U.K. Ministry of Defence said it was unable to get U.S. permission for the video to be used in evidence. Four days later the footage was obtained by the U.K.'s Sun newspaper and broadcast by Sky News. The U.S. then gave permission for it to be shown. Walker described the lack of U.S. cooperation as ``appalling.''

A thorough investigation was carried out and was conducted to the same standards as would be used for the death of a U.S. soldier in a friendly fire incident, the U.S. Department of Defense said in an e-mailed statement.

Complex Environment

``The investigation determined that the incident took place in a complex combat environment, the pilots followed applicable procedures and processes for engaging targets, believing that they were engaging enemy targets, and that this was a tragic accident,'' the Department of Defense said. ``The U.S. extends its deepest sympathies to the Hull family.''

The two pilots, from the 190th Fighter Squadron, the Idaho Air National Guard, were on a mission to bomb Iraqi artillery north of Basra on March 28, 2003. The cockpit video recording, from one of the planes, shows they saw orange panels on top of the U.K. vehicles, identifying them as coalition forces. The pilots then became convinced that they were in fact looking at enemy rocket launchers.

On the video a ground controller is heard saying ``Abort your mission,'' after a pilot opens fire. ``You got a, looks like we might have a blue-on-blue situation. We're getting an initial brief that there was one killed and one wounded, over,'' he says.

A conversation between the pilot and his colleague in the other A-10 follows. They are heard saying ``I think I'm going to be sick.'' and ``We're in jail dude.'' One weeps and says ``Godammit.''

Widow's Remarks

``I hope that the pilots are at peace in themselves and that they can move on with their lives,'' Susan Hull said. ``I'm sure they are full of remorse for what they did, I hope so anyway.

``Perhaps it sends a message to other pilots about how they need to be trained and the enormity of what they're doing in the sky because it can have great consequences.''

The U.K.'s Ministry of Defence said it was ``very sorry for confusion and upset'' over the cockpit video. ``Susan Hull said she hopes that lessons will be learned as a result of this inquest and we will do all that we can to ensure that this is the case,'' the ministry said in a statement.

Hull's death was a ``terrible, terrible accident'' and took place in the ``fog of battle,'' U.S. State Department spokesman Sean McCormack told Bloomberg Feb. 7.

*QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION:
What do you think should be done for Susan Hull, widow?

What do you think should happen to the pilots who mistakenly killed Hull?

Why do you think that the government was reluctant to show the cockpit video?