British Afghanistan whistleblower feared for personal safety, inquiry hears

Afghan families have accused UK special forces of conducting a 'campaign of murder' against civilians in the period 2010 - 2013

A British soldier keeps watch at the scene following a suicide car bomb attack on a European Union police vehicle along the Kabul-Jalalabad road in Kabul on January 5, 2015. AFP

A member of the British special forces who reported alleged “flat-packing” murders of civilians in Afghanistan has told an inquiry they fear for their personal well-being after speaking out, documents have shown.

During a series of closed meetings at the Independent Inquiry relating to Afghanistan, members of special forces (UKSF) have given evidence about the alleged murders that took place between 2010 and 2013.

The witness told the inquiry they had trained with a member of the accused unit, UKSF1, where they had allegedly spoken about what happened on operations.

British troops in Afghanistan – in pictures

The witness, known to the inquiry as N1799, said in a statement that the account given by the UKSF member in question, designated N1201, was in “juxtaposition” with a talk given by commanding officers months before that “UKSF does not operate outside of the law”.

They told the inquiry they feared for their safety when they made the allegation against UKSF1, adding: “I still do now.”

The witness said a note they had provided to officers of the conversation with N1201 was not as “graphic” as what they had in fact said.

A partial transcript of the hearing read: “I don’t want to just sit here and make stuff up, but I just know that it felt more shocking than, I mean, look, it’s not great reading, obviously it’s shocking reading this – but I just feel it was slightly more graphic … words that have been used about killing were like ‘flat packing’, ‘flat packing them’.

“You know, these aren’t … they’re quite normal in the military world.

“People have been on multiple operations as we all had and I just felt that ... and this would have been discussed, I believe, with the other officer or two officers in the room when I was writing it to make sure that it was readable and understandable.”

N1799 also told the inquiry that he was aware of rumours of UKSF carrying “dropped weapons” – which were firearms allegedly placed next to targets to give the impression they were armed when they were shot.

He said a “dropped weapon” was known as “Mr Wolf”.

Oliver Glasgow KC, counsel to the inquiry, asked: “When you heard it described as a ‘Mr Wolf’, was that used by one person or by more than one person or can you not remember?”

N1799 replied: “At least two or three people.”

Mr Glasgow continued: “Have you seen the film Pulp Fiction by Quentin Tarantino, where the individual who introduces himself as Mr Wolf says ‘I’m Mr Wolf and I’m here to solve problems’? Do you remember that?

The witness said: “No, I don’t.”

Chairman Mr Justice Haddon-Cave interjected: “Mr Glasgow, I have not seen that film.”

Mr Glasgow said: “Well, it is probably not essential viewing for anyone, but that particular individual in that film, he acts to clear up problems and to make crimes go away, does he not?”

N1799 responded: “Right. I had not put two and two together.”

Questioned by Mr Glasgow on whether he had any concerns for his own personal well-being after making allegations against UKSF1, the witness said: “I did then and I still do now.”

Mr Glasgow continued: “As to how that might be perceived by others within the wider UKSF community, is there a danger that you might be branded as a traitor?”

N1799 replied: “Yes.”

Another member of UKSF, who was involved in managing an Afghan Partner Unit (APU), said Afghans felt like they were being “treated like dogs” by UKSF1.

The witness, known as N1791, was questioned on whether he understood the position that the APU “were not happy with the role that they were playing on any UKSF1-led operation”, to which they replied: “Yes.”

Mr Glasgow said: “That they felt they were being left out and kept at the rear?”

N1791 responded: “Yes.”

Questioned on whether the APU was not used to operating the way UKSF1 did compared with the previous UKSF unit it had worked with, the witness said: “Yes and it was stronger than that. You know, the phrase that I do recall was, you know, ‘We’re treated like dogs’.”

Afghan families have accused UK special forces of conducting a campaign of murder against civilians, while senior officers and personnel at the Ministry of Defence “sought to prevent adequate investigation”.

No charges were brought under Operation Northmoor – which was set up in 2014 to examine allegations of killings by special forces, including those of children.

A further Royal Military Police investigation, codenamed Operation Cestro, referred three soldiers to the Service Prosecuting Authority but none of them were prosecuted.

The inquiry continues.