'Friendly fire' tape goes to inquest

A video showing how a British soldier was killed by American warplanes in Iraq was finally released by the US last night - four years after the fatal attack, and only after it had been leaked to the media.

It will now be used as evidence in the inquest on L/Cpl Matty Hull, 25, whose family had been told that the footage did not exist.

The tape, in which one of the American pilots is heard to say, "We're in jail dude" was leaked to The Sun newspaper

Last night, the US relented, following high-level negotiations and gave permission for the classified tape to be shown at the inquest but only to the victim's family and not to the public or the media.

The video reveals a catalogue of errors by the pilots of the US A-10 "tankbusters", a major and a lieutenant-colonel, both reservists who had never been in action before, as well as ground control when the attack took place on 28 March 2003. The patrol, the Household Cavalry Regiment, was mistaken for the enemy despite the British vehicles having distinctive orange markings that were supposed to mark them out to the Americans as allies. Instead, they were somehow mistaken by the airmen for "rocket launchers".

As the plane opens fire and the vehicles began to burn, with men trapped inside, one of the pilots is heard to say: " It looks like he is hauling ass, Ha, ha." Another says: " I think killing these damned rocket launchers, it would be great". Ground control, codename Manila Hotel, reassures the pilots "You are well clear of friendlies".

After the attack, when it dawns on them they have hit a British convoy, one of the pilots says, " I'm going to be sick" and "we're going to jail dude". The other one responds " yeah, it sucks" and "that thing with the orange panels is going to screw us."

Neither of the pilots faced a court martial when the US Air Force conducted its own investigation into the deaths. Lt Tony Vincelli, spokesman for 190th Fighter Squadron, Boise, Idaho, the home base of the A-10s, declined yesterday to identify the two men.

More British soldiers may have died in the attack had it not been for Trooper Chris Finney, who dragged injured colleagues from the vehicle in flames. He was awarded the Geroge Cross for his action.

Mrs Hull said at her home in Wiltshire yesterday: "I am very relieved this is being made public at long last. I can't believe these pilots can discuss what they are doing so casually when these are the last moments of my husband's life."

She added: "The inquest is my one and only chance to hear how and why Matty died.I would have preferred to hear the evidence from the US pilots themselves. However, they cannot be compelled to come and they have not come voluntarily.

"The video is therefore vital evidence and must be shown. I do not relish hearing it in open court but after years of being told that it did not exist or was secret I feel that it was right not to give up hope."

The Pentagon has been accused of being obstructive over "friendly-fire" fatalities in the past. The coroner at the inquest into the death of the ITN reporter Terry Lloyd, who was also killed by US forces in Iraq, complained that he had failed to get American witnesses to give evidence, despite repeated requests.

The Constitutional Affairs minister, Harriet Harman, demanded yesterday that US authorities must be more helpful. She said: "People do understand that, in armed conflict situations, terrible accidents do sometimes happen, but what I think people do not understand or accept is the notion that the truth should not be revealed."

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