Detainee Abuse During Op Telic: 'A Few Rotten Apples'?

• Author: Alley, Roderic
• Position: Book review

DETAINEE ABUSE DURING OP TELIC: 'A Few Rotten Apples'?

Author: Timothy Wood Published by: Palgrave Pivot, Houndmills, 2016, 120pp, US$54.99.

OP TELIC was the operational name assumed by British forces in Iraq following its invasion in 2003. The 'few rotten apples' refers to controversial claims that those British personnel committing abuses against detained Iraqis during this operation comprised no more than a small, misguided minority. With the advantages of his military service in both Iraq and Afghanistan, and the Royal Air Force Directorate of Legal Services and Service Prosecuting Authority, Timothy Wood is well positioned to unpick these claims in this short, but highly informed assessment. Recently the controversy has sustained its salience with the decision of the British government--like Turkey, France and Ukraine--to opt out, or derogate, from European Human Rights Convention provisions applicable during situations of conflict. Prime Minister May has said that she hopes this will end what she has termed 'an industry of vexatious claims' against British forces.

Raised in this study are the A1 Sweady and Baha Mousa detainee abuse enquiries conducted by British authorities and, of more recent occurrence, the joint communication submitted to the Office of Prosecutor at the International Criminal Court (ICC) by the European Centre for Constitutional and Human Rights and Public Interest Lawyers group (ECCHR/PIL). This 2014 submission alleged hundreds of abuse violations across time, technique and location, indicating that United Kingdom authorities sustained a policy of abuse against local detainees, this to soften them up prior to interrogation. This request to open an investigation was declined by ICC Chief Prosecutor Ocampo, and on grounds of insufficient evidence indicating any plan or policy of war crimes of wilful killing and inhuman treatment. While that conclusion remained open subject to new evidence, Ocampo rightly indicated that effectively functioning national legal systems comprised the most appropriate forum for addressing allegations of this nature.

For a short study, the detail and analysis provided is impressive. Three salient themes of importance are discernible. The first to emerge is a general shoddiness in standards evident among those British forces responsible for the detention and interrogation of Iraqi suspects. Previous failures effectively to resource, train and lead such personnel were magnified when placed...