Mother plans court action over Blair's 'war crimes'

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Independent
By Danielle Demetriou
03 May 2005


Rose Gentle, the mother of a British soldier killed in Iraq, described her determination yesterday to take Tony Blair to court over alleged "war crimes".

Mrs Gentle, whose 19-year-old son Gordon died in Basra last June, plans to take the Prime Minister to court over the death of both British and Iraqi soldiers killed since the conflict began.

Her intentions came to light after it emerged the Attorney General warned Tony Blair British ministers and troops could end up in court over the war.

Yesterday, Mrs Gentle, from Glasgow, who is standing in the election against Adam Ingram, the Armed Forces Minister, said: "We want justice not just for Gordon but for all the boys killed in Iraq and for all the Iraqis that have been killed. I am now seeking advice to take Tony Blair to court because I believe he is responsible for my son's death and the rest of the boys' deaths. It is time we stood up to the Government and told them we are not going to take any more lies."

http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/politics/story.jsp?story=635213

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1. GO GENTLE...to paraphrase Dylan Thomas

Do Not Go Gentle Into that Good Night


Do not go gentle into that good night,
Old age should burn and rave at close of day;
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Though wise men at their end know dark is right,
Because their words had forked no lightning they
Do not go gentle into that good night.

Good men, the last wave by, crying how bright
Their frail deeds might have danced in a green bay,
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Wild men who caught and sang the sun in flight,
And learn, too late, they grieved it on its way,
Do not go gentle into that good night.

Grave men, near death, who see with blinding sight
Blind eyes could blaze like meteors and be gay,
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

And you, my father, there on the sad height,
Curse, bless, me now with your fierce tears, I pray.
Do not go gentle into that good night.
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Dylan Thomas

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2. Soldiers' families to sue Blair

By Paul Waugh, Deputy Political Editor, Evening Standard
3 May 2005

Iraq refused to go away as an election issue today with relatives of dead troops heading for Downing Street to launch legal action against Tony Blair.

The delegation was giving the Prime Minister notice of its court challenge as Labour struggled to deal with the death of the 87th British soldier in the conflict and its aftermath.

The widow of Anthony Wakefield, killed at the weekend by a roadside bomb, blamed Mr Blair personally for his death. Amid fresh evidence Mr Blair had decided to back George Bush well before the war, the brother of murdered hostage Ken Bigley also said Foreign Secretary Jack Straw had tried to manipulate him to help out Labour.
mourns hit and run girl

The Prime Minister last night said he had “given up” trying to persuade people of his case for war in Iraq as he received yet another grilling by a live TV audience. The relatives of British servicemen killed in Iraq were officially launching their bid to take legal action under the European Convention on Human Rights.

http://www.thisislondon.com/news/articles/18330254?source=Evening%20Standard