BRITISH ARMY MURDERER 'ONE OF THE FINEST SOLDIERS'
A serving member of the British Army convicted of a callous racist murder over 14 years ago in the Orkney's was described by his CO as "one of the finest soldiers ... I've commanded", he added: "He is a gentleman in the way he looks after his family and his soldiers."
However, the fact that someone of the mind-set of Sgt. Michael Ross, described as an Iraq war hero in some of the British media, indicates the calibre and disreputable nature of some who serve in the British Army.
It also once again throws into sharp relief allegations about murders committed by serving members of the British Army in Iraq. It obviously is the case that someone like Ross who was clearly capable of the most vindictive and callous brutality not only found a natural home in the British Army but was lauded for his accomplishments in the service. It is perhaps too much to hope that the British Ministry of Defence will now scrutinize any operational deployment that Ross was engaged on to ensure that any unexplained deaths or other violent incidents are thoroughly reviewed.
Our scepticism about the MoD is not founded on cynicism but on analysis of its track record. After all was it not the MoD that allowed the convicted killers, Guardsmen Fisher and Wright, who killed Belfast teenager and father of two Peter McBride, to return to active duty after they had completed their somewhat brief custodial sentences.
Who knows if Sgt. Ross has a similarly brief sojourn 'At Her Majesty's Pleasure' (in prison). Perhaps a similar welcome return to duty will beckon?
Link to Ross murder conviction here:
Link to series of articles on McBride murders on Pat Finucane Centre web pages at:
J B Moffatt Director of Information Celtic League
21/06/08
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