'Golden pass' allowed UK soldiers to get away with killings in Afghanistan, says whistleblower

A public inquiry into alleged war crimes has revealed that UK Special Forces (UKSF) soldiers in Afghanistan operated with a “golden pass” that allowed them to evade accountability for murder.

According to an Independent report_,_ the evidence, provided by seven witnesses from UK special forces, was published on Wednesday as part of a release of material summarising the content of secret hearings.

The inquiry, which opened in March but has now started substantive hearings at London’s Royal Courts of Justice, is investigating accusations about the special forces’ conduct in Afghanistan between 2010 and 2013.

It is examining so-called deliberate detention operations during that period and how allegations of unlawful killings were investigated by Britain’s military police, in particular whether there were any cover-ups.

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The independent inquiry follows legal challenges by the families of some of the dozens of people allegedly murdered by UK special forces during night raids.

It is set to hear submissions on behalf of the families of 33 people, including eight children, who were allegedly killed.

Testimony from an individual identified as N2107, who had access to operational reports regarding the SAS’s activities in Afghanistan in 2011, revealed his growing skepticism about the official accounts of Afghan fatalities.

According to the report, citing the witness, UK special forces (UKSF) in Afghanistan appeared “beyond reproach” and operated with a “golden pass allowing them to get away with murder”.

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Another witness, identified as N1799, testified to the inquiry that he believed an Special Air Service (SAS) unit had been executing “fighting age males” in Afghanistan. He alleged that the deceased Afghans were referred to dismissively as having been “flat packed.”

In his statement, N1799 recounted being informed by a soldier from the unit that a pillow was placed over the head of an individual before they were shot with a pistol.

“It was implied that photos would be taken of the deceased alongside weapons that the ‘fighting age male’ may not have had in their position when they were killed,” Independent quoted the witness as saying.

The whistleblower informed Oliver Glasgow, the inquiry’s counsel, that leaving a discarded weapon beside a dead person was informally referred to as a “Mr Wolf.”

He said the term originated from the film Pulp Fiction, where a character introduces himself as “Mr Wolf.” He told Glasgow, “Mr. Wolf says, ‘I’m Mr. Wolf, and I’m here to solve problems.’”

N1799 testified to the inquiry that he had trained alongside a member of the accused unit, UKSF1, who had allegedly discussed operations during their training.

In his witness statement, N1799 said the account provided by the UKSF member N1201 was in stark contrast to a briefing given by commanding officers months earlier, which asserted that “UKSF does not operate outside of the law.”

Questioned by Glasgow on whether he had any concerns for his own personal wellbeing after making allegations against UKSF1, Independent quoted the witness as saying, “I did then and I still do now.”

The counsel to the inquiry 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.”

A different UKSF member, involved in overseeing an Afghan Partner Unit (APU), said that Afghan counterparts felt they were being “treated like dogs” by UKSF1.

Afghan families have accused UK special forces of running a “campaign of murder” against civilians, while senior officers and Ministry of Defence personnel allegedly sought to hinder thorough investigations.

No charges were filed under Operation Northmoor, established in 2014 to investigate claims of executions by special forces, including those involving children.

Another investigation by the Royal Military Police, codenamed Operation Cestro, led to three soldiers being referred to the Service Prosecuting Authority, but none faced prosecution.

The inquiry is ongoing.

With inputs from agencies