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Soldiers working within the UK’s special forces discussed concerns that Afghans who posed no threat were being murdered in raids against suspected Taliban insurgents, an inquiry has been told.

One soldier, who was reading operational reports of SAS actions, said in an email in 2011 that they feared that UK special forces seemed “beyond reproach”, with “a golden pass allowing them to get away with murder”.

Another soldier said they were aware of rumours of special forces soldiers using “dropped weapons” – which were munitions allegedly placed next to targets to give the impression they were armed when they were shot.

It was also suggested that the act was known as a “Mr Wolf” – supposedly a reference to the fixer “Winston Wolfe” from the film Pulp Fiction.

The claims come from hundreds of pages of documents detailing evidence given to a public inquiry into alleged war crimes committed by British special forces soldiers in Afghanistan between 2010 and 2013.

The independent inquiry was ordered by the Ministry of Defence (MoD) after the BBC reported claims that SAS soldiers from one squadron had killed 54 people in suspicious circumstances during the war in Afghanistan more than a decade ago.

The inquiry is examining a number of night-time raids carried out by British forces from mid-2010 to mid-2013.

On Wednesday, it released evidence from seven UK special forces (UKSF) witnesses who gave their evidence in secret for national security reasons and cannot be named.

None of the soldiers who gave evidence to the inquiry, which opened in 2023, said they had witnessed any such behaviour themselves.

‘Fighting age males’

One of the soldiers, known only as N1799, told the inquiry they had raised concerns in 2011 about a unit referred to as UKSF1 after having a conversation about its operations with one of its members on a training course.

“During these operations it was said that ‘all fighting age males are killed’ on target regardless of the threat they posed, this included those not holding weapons,” their witness statement said.

“It was also indicated that ‘fighting age males’ were being executed on target, inside compounds, using a variety of methods after they had been restrained. In one case it was mentioned a pillow was put over the head of an individual before being killed with a pistol.”

The soldier said he was also informed that weapons were being “dropped” next to victims “to give the impression that a deceased individual had been armed when shot”, the inquiry heard.

Such a dropped weapon was colloquially known as a “Mr Wolf”, but N1799 stated he had “no idea at all” where the term came from.

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Counsel to the inquiry Oliver Glasgow KC asked: “When you heard it described as a ‘Mr Wolf’, was that used by one person or by more than one person or can you not remember?”

N1799 replied: “At least two or three people.”

Mr Glasgow continued: “Have you seen the film Pulp Fiction by Quentin Tarantino, where the individual who introduces himself as Mr Wolf says ‘I’m Mr Wolf and I’m here to solve problems’? Do you remember that?

The witness said: “No, I don’t.”

Mr Glasgow said: “Well, it is probably not essential viewing for anyone, but that particular individual in that film, he acts to clear up problems and to make crimes go away, does he not?”

N1799 responded: “Right. I had not put two and two together.”

The inquiry heard that N1799 escalated their concerns to other senior officers who took them seriously.

But, questioned by Mr Glasgow on whether they had any concerns for their own personal wellbeing after making allegations, the witness said: “I did then and I still do now.”

‘Mud-slinging’

Another officer, referred to as N2107, emailed colleagues expressing his disbelief at summaries of operations which suggested detained suspects had been allowed back into compounds where they were then said to have picked up weapons and attempted to attack the unit.

Meanwhile, a special forces commanding officer told the inquiry he believed reporting allegations of murder to his counterpart in another unit may have been seen as “mud-slinging”.

He said there was an “at times fractious and competitive” relationship between his unit and the accused unit.

In one of the hearings, he was asked whether he thought about reporting the allegations to his direct counterpart within the unit, but said it was a “deliberate act” to report up rather than sideway as it may be seen as “mud-slinging”.

British military police have previously conducted several inquiries into allegations of misconduct by forces in Afghanistan, including those made against the SAS.

However, the MoD has said none found enough evidence for prosecutions.

The inquiry’s aim is to ascertain whether there was credible information of extra-judicial killings, whether investigations
by the military police years later into N1799’s concerns were properly conducted, and if unlawful killings were covered up.

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Jess Phillips does not rule out new national inquiry into grooming gangs

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January 8, 2025

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Jess Phillips does not rule out new national inquiry into grooming gangs

Jess Phillips has said “nothing is off the table” when dealing with the grooming gangs scandal – including a new national inquiry if victims want one.

The safeguarding minister told Sky’s political editor Beth Rigby on the Electoral Dysfunction podcast that she would listen to victims on a new panel that was announced by the government this week.

“Nothing is off the table,” she said.

“And if the victims come forward to me in this victims panel and they say, ‘actually, we think there needs to be a national inquiry into this’, I’ll listen to them.”

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Beth Rigby and Jess Phillips

Her comments come days after it emerged she had rejected calls from Oldham Council to hold a government inquiry into grooming gangs in the town, and said the council should commission one instead.

That has led to tech billionaire Elon Musk attacking her and Sir Keir Starmer for not holding a national inquiry and accusing the prime minister of being “complicit” in the abuse.

Professor Alexis Jay finished an eight-year national inquiry into child sexual abuse in 2022 and set out recommendations for the government.

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Education sec ‘not interested’ in Musk comments

The Conservatives tabled an amendment to the Children’s Safeguarding and Schools Bill on Wednesday to require a statutory inquiry into grooming gangs.

However, Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson told Sky News the Tories “don’t care about children” as the amendment could prevent the entire bill from going forward.

She said: “The measures that I’m setting out today and the legislation in many ways go further because it puts a requirement on all councils to have teams working to keep children safe.

“And the bandwagon jumpers that have come along in recent days, they don’t care about children, they don’t care about making sure that we stop this and we take action.

“They had years to do it and they didn’t do it.”

The Conservatives also rejected a call from Oldham Council for a government inquiry in 2022.

You can listen to Beth’s full interview with Jess Phillips in a special episode of Electoral Dysfunction released on Thursday.

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Boy, 14, stabbed to death on London bus named as Kelyan Bokassa

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January 8, 2025

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Boy, 14, stabbed to death on London bus named as Kelyan Bokassa

The 14-year-old who was stabbed to death on a bus in southeast London yesterday has been named as Kelyan Bokassa.

He was stabbed to death on a bus in Woolwich Church Street, close to the Woolwich Ferry, just before 2.30pm on Tuesday.

The teenager died at the scene shortly after medical help arrived.

The Metropolitan Police called the stabbing a “horrific attack,” while London mayor Sir Sadiq Khan said the “heart-breaking violence has absolutely no place in our city”.

No arrests have been made so far but officers are appealing for witnesses who were on the 472 bus.

Tributes are left next to a bus stop on Woolwich Church Road in Woolwich, south London, after a 14-year-old boy was stabbed to death on a London Bus.
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Tributes were left to the teenager, who was a student at St Columba’s Catholic Boys School. Pic: PA

An aspiring rapper, 14-year-old Kelyan was also “briefly” a student at St Columba’s Catholic Boys School in Bexleyheath.

The South East London Catholic Academy Trust said in a statement it was “saddened by the loss of life” and added: “Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends at this difficult time.

“Our schools will provide support to any of the students who may be affected by this senseless violence.”

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Mary Bokassa, the boy’s mother, also told MailOnline that he and others “were taken advantage by gangs” and “were groomed”.

She told the outlet: “He was missing for a year and was living on the street. He finally turned up at my doorstep, he was sick, underweight and tattooed.

“He was exposed to drugs. He probably experienced something because I could sense it. He was not himself. If I questioned him, he wouldn’t tell me anything about his friends.”

Detective Chief Inspector Martin Thorpe, who is leading the investigation, said: “Following Kelyan’s tragic death yesterday, specialist officers are now leading the investigation which is progressing at pace.

“If anyone saw this horrific attack or was in the area then I urge them to come forward and speak to officers.

“We’re particularly interested in any mobile phone footage that captured this incident or any dash cam or doorbell footage from around the surrounding area at the time of this incident.”

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UK Athletics and former games head of sport charged with manslaughter over Paralympian’s death

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January 8, 2025

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UK Athletics and former games head of sport charged with manslaughter over Paralympian's death

UK Athletics Ltd and a former head of sport for a major London games have been charged with manslaughter following the death of Paralympian Abdullah Hayayei, the Crown Prosecution Service said.

United Arab Emirates athlete Mr Hayayei died aged 36 after a metal throwing cage fell on him while he was shot put training at Newham Leisure Centre in London in 2017.

The Paralympian was pronounced dead at the scene after he was struck by a metal pole in the incident.

He was training in preparation to represent his country in the shot put, discus and javelin at the World Para Athletics Championships which began in London later that week.

Teams and coaches from several nations were present at the time of the tragedy.

Keith Davies, 77, the former head of sport for the 2017 World Para Athletics Championships, has been charged with gross negligence manslaughter and a health and safety offence.

UK Athletics has been charged with corporate manslaughter and a Health and Safety at Work Act offence.

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Both UK Athletics and Davies are due to appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Friday 31 January.

Malcolm McHaffie, head of the CPS Special Crime Division, said: “The Crown Prosecution Service reminds everyone that criminal proceedings are active and both UK Athletics Ltd and Davies have the right to a fair trial.

“It is extremely important that there be no reporting, commentary or sharing of information online which could in any way prejudice these proceedings.”

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The Met Police launched an investigation following Mr Hayayei’s death on 11 July 2017, with the Crown Prosecution Service saying today that it has authorised charges following a review of evidence provided by the force.

Mr Hayayei made his Paralympic debut in Rio de Janeiro in 2016 and was set to feature in his second World Championships in 2017.

Ed Warner, who was co-chair of London 2017, said after Mr Hayayei’s death: “This is a devastating event and everyone within the London 2017 Organising Committee is shocked and saddened.

“We will be working closely with all the competitors and teams over the days ahead to offer support wherever it is needed.”

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