53 Brentwood Blog

Tuesday, November 16, 2004

Sometime I read “normal” newspapers and it feels like I’m reading The Onion…

British soldiers sue Pentagon: $2.3m claim after military police and interpreter injured in crash.

Saturday November 13, 2004
The Guardian

Three British soldiers and an army interpreter are suing the American military after their vehicle was rammed by a US tank transporter in Iraq.
The $2.3m (£1.2m) suit is the first against the US army from coalition troops since the invasion of Iraq. It seeks to exploit provisions normally reserved for Iraqis claiming compensation for family members wrongfully killed in US raids.
The Britons, members of a Royal Military Police unit on duty with their Kuwaiti interpreter, suffered serious injuries on May 7 last year when their Land Rover was struck twice from behind by the hulking transporter.
The vehicle spun out of control and off the road, somersaulting into a sand dune. All four passengers were hurled out of the vehicle, and the Land Rover was wrecked.
Sgt Rogerson received head and spinal injuries. In court documents, he complains of lasting back and arm injuries that could prevent him from pursuing a lucrative post-army career as a security expert.
Corporal Stephen Smith and Khalid Allahou, an engineer with the Kuwaiti oil company who had volunteered as a translator, were sitting in the rear of the vehicle. They were also wounded.

In the court documents, Mr Allahou said: "I know now what it feels like inside a tumble dryer. It spun like nothing before I've seen in my life. I mean we were spinning."


0 Comments:

Post a Comment

<< Home