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22 March 2007

Terry Lloyd: unlawfully killed in action

Terry LloydToday marks the fourth anniversary of the unlawful killing of ITN journalist Terry Lloyd, a once familiar face on British TV news.

Terry was killed by US troops in Iraq, who had opened fire on the makeshift ambulance in which he was being transported. While the coroner returned a verdict of unlawful killing, and the soldiers responsible have been named by ITV News, no action has been taken.

To place the event in context, the NUJ and it’s campaign partners believe that between 1990 and 2002 more than 270 journalists were killed in war zones, but in 2003, 2004 and 2005 that number increased to more than 100 each year, some times more than 150. In addition, journalists have been subjected to kidnappings, physical attacks and arbitrary detention. The BBC’s Alan Johnston is currently held somewhere on the Gaza Strip.

Those who report from war zones do an important job and the apparent targeting of the media compromises the ability of those us fortunate enough to live in a peaceful democracy to come to an informed opinion on our own country’s role.

Media organisations, unions and press freedom NGOs are campaigning to bring Terry Lloyd’s killers to justice and to make the wilful killing of journalists a separate crime under international law. Model letters are available to help you contact your MP, the Foreign Secretary (email: private.office@fco.gov.uk) and the Attorney General’s Office (email: correspondenceunit@attorneygeneral.gsi.gov.uk).

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One graffito on “Terry Lloyd: unlawfully killed in action”

  1. Stephen Newton says:

    Terry Lloyd, Attorney General’s Office response:
    Mr Newton,

    Thank you for your email of 21 March 2007. I have been asked to reply.

    The Attorney General has issued a written statement on the death of Terry Lloyd which you will find at http://www.attorneygeneral.gov.uk.

    Yours sincerely
    Tim Strevens
    Correspondence Unit
    Attorney General’s Office

    The text of that reply is as follows:

    The death of Terry Lloyd

    At the conclusion of the inquest into Terry Lloyd’s death, where a verdict that Mr
    Lloyd was unlawfully killed was recorded, the Coroner, Mr Andrew Walker, wrote to the Attorney General. Mr Walker enclosed the documents that were used at the inquest and asked the Attorney to consider any steps that might be taken to bring those responsible for the death of Mr Lloyd before a court.

    As it is alleged that Mr Lloyd was killed in Iraq by non-British nationals, the relevant offence capable of being tried in a UK court is section 1 of the Geneva Conventions Act 1957. The Attorney General has to consent to any prosecution which may be brought. Any decision to prosecute is made by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) using the same Code for Crown Prosecutors (www.cps.gov.uk/victims_witnesses/code.html) tests they use in every case.

    Accordingly the Attorney General sent the Coroner’s letter and enclosures to the
    CPS for them to consider. The CPS has the case under active review and is assessing the evidence and deciding if there is any further investigation that they need before they can make a decision. They will report back to the Attorney General.

    April 3rd, 2007 at 9:36 am

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