Seven former SAS commanders have accused the Government of “doing the enemy’s work” by exposing Britain’s elite troops to legal action under Labour’s new Northern Ireland legislation.
The retired officers have warned that dragging soldiers through the courts risks destroying the country’s special forces.
They claim politicians are using troops as “scapegoats” – while handing propaganda victories to hostile states.
“Britain’s special forces are small, discreet, uniquely lethal… Their humiliation rewards Moscow, Tehran, and Beijing,” the commanders wrote in The Telegraph.
The intervention follows Labour’s decision to abandon the Tory Government’s Legacy Act, which had granted legal immunity to veterans who served in the Troubles.
The signatories include Aldwin Wight and Richard Williams, both former commanding officers of 22 SAS, alongside three ex-squadron commanders, a former regimental sergeant major and a former warrant officer first class.
The retired leaders warn that the spectre of legal action at home could even prove fatal on the battlefield.
“Commanders turn risk-averse, soldiers hesitate where boldness saves lives, wars drag on, spilling more blood and costing more lives,” they wrote.
Seven former SAS commanders have accused the Government of ‘doing the enemy’s work’ by exposing Britain’s elite troops to legal action
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They argue that a “circus of premature leaks, innuendo, and selective disclosures” has damaged morale within UK special forces units.
Elsewhere, the commanders say inquiries that reveal operational secrets before reaching conclusions provide Britain’s enemies with ammunition to portray British troops as lawless.
Shadow Defence Secretary James Cartlidge said UK special forces are “an absolutely critical military capability, keeping the British people safe from growing threats”.
Earlier this year, it came to light that any British peacekeeping troops who may be stationed in Ukraine could be prosecuted under the Convention.
Mr Cartlidge has now called on ministers to scrap the Troubles Bill and “derogate” from the controversial ECHR for any future Ukraine deployment.
LABOUR’S WAR ON NI VETERANS – READ MORE:
Shadow Defence Secretary James Cartlidge has now called on ministers to scrap the Troubles Bill
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“As politicians we have a duty to defend those who risk their lives defending us, and that means real action not warm words,” Mr Cartlidge said.
Former Security Minister Tom Tugendhat also warned that civilian laws designed for policing were being wrongly applied to military combat.
And last month, nine four-star generals described the new Northern Ireland legislation as a “national security threat”.
“Make no mistake, our closest allies are watching uneasily, and our enemies will be rubbing their hands,” they said.
But in their letter in The Telegraph, the former SAS leaders insist they are not seeking immunity from prosecution.
“No serious nation excuses soldierly crimes. Rigorous investigations and prosecutions, where warranted, underpin the moral authority to deploy lethal force,” they wrote.
A Government spokesman said its commitment to Northern Ireland veterans was ‘unshakeable’
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Instead, the seven have urged Labour to apply the Geneva Conventions when deciding whether to prosecute soldiers, arguing that peacetime human rights laws are unsuitable for the battlefield.
“Combat isn’t policing. The Geneva Conventions get this, balancing necessity and proportionality in chaos,” the commanders said.
A Government spokesman said its commitment to Northern Ireland veterans was “unshakeable” and that the new legislation would deliver “six” protections to retired soldiers.
“The previous Government’s Legacy Act was ruled unlawful by the courts and delivered no real protections to veterans in legacy processes,” he said.
“We are aware of the strength of feeling within the defence community on this topic. We have had constructive meetings with former senior officers, representatives of regimental associations, and the third sector to ensure their views and experiences are taken into consideration as this Bill progresses through Parliament.”