SAS soldier quits Army in disgust.

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By Sean Rayment, Defence Correspondent

(Filed: 12/03/2006)

 

An SAS soldier has refused to fight in Iraq and has left the Army over the

" illegal " tactics of United States troops and the policies of coalition forces.

 

After three months in Baghdad, Ben Griffin told his commander that he was no

longer prepared to fight alongside American forces.

 

 

Ben Griffin told commanders that he thought the Iraq war was illegal

He said he had witnessed " dozens of illegal acts " by US troops, claiming they

viewed all Iraqis as " untermenschen " - the Nazi term for races regarded as

sub-human.

 

The decision marks the first time an SAS soldier has refused to go into combat

and quit the Army on moral grounds.

 

It immediately brought to an end Mr Griffin's exemplary, eight-year career in

which he also served with the Parachute Regiment, taking part in operations in

Northern Ireland, Macedonia and Afghanistan.

 

But it will also embarrass the Government and have a potentially profound impact

on cases of other soldiers who have refused to fight.

 

On Wednesday, the pre-trial hearing will begin into the court martial of Flt Lt

Malcolm Kendall-Smith, a Royal Air Force doctor who has refused to return to

Iraq for a third tour of duty on the grounds that the war is illegal. Mr

Griffin's allegations came as the Foreign Office minister Kim Howells, visiting

Basra yesterday, admitted that Iraq was now " a mess " .

 

Mr Griffin, 28, who spent two years with the SAS, said the American military's

" gung-ho and trigger happy mentality " and tactics had completely undermined any

chance of winning the hearts and minds of the Iraqi population. He added that

many innocent civilians were arrested in night-time raids and interrogated by

American soldiers, imprisoned in the notorious Abu Ghraib prison, or handed over

to the Iraqi authorities and " most probably " tortured.

 

Mr Griffin eventually told SAS commanders at Hereford that he could not take

part in a war which he regarded as " illegal " .

 

He added that he now believed that the Prime Minister and the Government had

repeatedly " lied " over the war's conduct.

 

" I did not join the British Army to conduct American foreign policy, " he said.

He expected to be labelled a coward and to face a court martial and imprisonment

after making what " the most difficult decision of my life " last March.

 

Instead, he was discharged with a testimonial describing him as a " balanced,

honest, loyal and determined individual who possesses the strength of character

to have the courage of his convictions " .

 

Last night Patrick Mercer, the shadow minister for homeland security, said:

" Trooper Griffin is a highly experienced soldier. This makes his decision

particularly disturbing and his views and opinions must be listened to by the

Government. "

 

The MoD declined to comment.