New army chief vows to fight false Northern Ireland claims
Possible probes into conduct in previous conflicts have sparked fears Second World War soldiers could also face investigation.
Friday 3 August 2018 09:17, UK
The new head of the armed forces has vowed to defend soldiers facing claims of wrongdoing during the Troubles in Northern Ireland.
General Sir Nick Carter, the chief of the defence staff, said the British Army had done a "remarkable job" in Northern Ireland and false allegations against soldiers risked undermining the fighting spirit of the armed forces.
He said soldiers facing any investigation would be looked after "to the best of our ability".
Sir Nick, speaking at a media briefing at RAF Coningsby in Lincolnshire, said: "It is right and proper that if our soldiers have done something wrong then they should clearly be investigated.
"But only if they have done something wrong.
"We need to have standards, we need to have values that people are held against otherwise we will lose the moral high-ground.
"What is fundamentally wrong, though, is if they're chased by people who are making vexatious claims - and that will not happen on my watch. Absolutely not.
"If you end up with a clutch of vexatious claims then that undermines morale and has the risk of undermining our combat ethos and our fighting spirit.
"I would absolutely stamp on any of that sort of activity."
Sir Nick's comments come after his predecessor said he was "deeply uncomfortable" about veterans being investigated over their conduct during the Troubles.
Air Chief Marshal Sir Stuart Peach said deciding whether there should be a statute of limitations on inquiries into previous events was a political decision but he had concerns about investigating soldiers.
A consultation document issued by Northern Ireland Secretary Karen Bradley to deal with the legacy of the Troubles does not include provision for a statute of limitations.
Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson has said he will look at "all options" to protect veterans from legacy investigations.
Possible probes into conduct in previous conflicts has sparked fears that Second World War soldiers could also face being investigated.
Sir Nick said: "What we must try and remind ourselves about this whole Northern Ireland issue is actually what an extraordinarily amazing task the British Army did through 30 years in Northern Ireland.
"And we wouldn't be in a position which we now are in if the British Army hadn't done a remarkable job in getting us to that position - and I really hope that's not forgotten in all of this."
He said soldiers who faced investigation would be given as much help and support as they required.
He added: "The point I'd make is that we as an institution... are absolutely going to look after those people who are being investigated this way, to the best of our ability.
"A lot of people have got a lot of opinions about that and that's part of the consultation - and I think it would be wrong for me to prejudge which direction it went in.
"I think it is sad this is happening."
Ms Bradley warned in an article in The Daily Telegraph that a statue of limitations could let terrorists off the hook.
She said: "Some have called for a statute of limitations for veterans, but we believe that is not legally possible without extending it to the terrorists - something this government could not support.
"We should never forget that 90% of the killings were carried out by terrorists and just 10% by those acting on behalf of the state - almost all of the latter lawfully."