Families of military policemen murdered in Iraq call for fresh inquest

Two former soldiers claim GCHQ was aware an attack was imminent

The evidence has been submitted to Jeremy Wright, the attorney general (Getty Images)

The families of four military policemen who were murdered by a mob in Iraq 11 years ago are seeking a fresh inquest following claims by two former soldiers that GCHQ was aware that an attack was imminent and the men could have been saved.

The evidence, from a former lieutenant-colonel in the SAS and a captain, has been submitted to Jeremy Wright, the attorney general as grounds to reopen the case. Lawyers acting for the families have submitted accounts of how four of the servicemen were executed 90 minutes later than the time of death in Ministry of Defence reports.

In April 2006, the Oxfordshire Coroner concluded the soldiers had been unlawfully killed and wrote to the Government expressing concern about a series of failings.

Simon McKay, of Petherbridge Bassra Solicitors in Bradford, is representing the families of Cpl Russell Aston, Cpl Simon Miller, L/Cpl Benjamin McGowan Hyde and L/Cpl Tom Keys.

Royal Military Police officers Sgt Simon Hamilton-Jewell and Cpl Paul Long were also killed in the attack.