Gov't pays slain journalist's family 1.5 million pounds

[Scurrilous]

<snip>

"Following lengthy legal discussions, Israel recently paid approximately 1.5 million pounds in damages to the family of British cameraman James Miller, who was killed in Rafah in May 2003.

The British Ministry of Justice said it would not file legal claims in the case, or requests to extradite the Israel Defense Forces officer and troops said to have been involved in the incident.

Following lengthy legal discussions, Israel recently paid approximately 1.5 million pounds in damages to the family of British cameraman James Miller, who was killed in Rafah in May 2003.

The British Ministry of Justice said it would not file legal claims in the case, or requests to extradite the Israel Defense Forces officer and troops said to have been involved in the incident."

The payment is apparently the highest damages award that the state has ever paid a foreign citizen injured in the course of military activity.

None of the soldiers who had been implicated in the shooting faced criminal charges. An IDF disciplinary court that reviewed the firing officer's conduct cleared him of violating regulations on shooting."

more

[Jefferson23]

1. From the above article:

"The IDF previously maintained that it is impossible to determine whether Miller was shot by Israelis or Palestinians. A British expert said this was not true. Witnesses at the scene said the area where Miller was shot had been quiet before his slaying."

I'm interested to know, who is this British expert and what exactly did he have to say.

[Scurrilous]

2. BRITAIN: Shooting of UK journalist was murder, expert says (April 6, 2006)

Military expert Chris Cobb-Smith says evidence reveals documentary filmmaker's death was result of deliberate murder

<snip>

"A military expert on Tuesday told an inquest in London that the death of a British journalist who was shot dead by an Israeli soldier was "calculated, cold-blooded murder."

James Miller, 34, was killed by a single shot in May 2003 in Gaza while making a documentary about the suffering of Palestinian children. No soldier has been disciplined or charged and in court the cameraman's family have accused Israel of a coverup, claiming there is evidence that his killer is Lieutenant Heib of the Israeli defense force.

The jury yesterday was told by Chris Cobb-Smith, who investigated Miller's death, that the fatal shot was "deliberate" and not an accident. Miller died as he and colleagues were trying to leave a Palestinian house at night, holding a white flag with a torch shone on it, clad in body armor and helmets with the letters "TV" written on it in fluorescent tape.

Cobb-Smith, a former British army officer and UN weapons inspector, said Miller and his colleagues would have been visible to the Israeli soldiers, who had night vision goggles. The sky was cloudless, the moon was shining and electric lights were shining from nearby houses.

"My conclusion is this was calculated and cold-blooded murder, without a shadow of a doubt," Cobb-Smith told the jury at St. Pancras coroner's court.

The jury were again showed video of the shooting captured by another cameraman.

As Miller and two colleagues approached an Israeli armored personnel carrier shouting "Hello, we're British journalists," a shot rings out. Thirteen seconds later a second shot strikes Miller, then a third bullet hits the house they have just left, with other shots spaced at five to 12-second intervals.

Cobb-Smith said: "These shots were not fired by a soldier who was frightened, not fired by a soldier facing incoming fire; these were slow, deliberate, calculated and aimed shots."

more



The James Miller Story

http://www.wan-press.org/article6657.html

[Jefferson23]

4. Interesting account from Cobb-Smith, and thanks for the info.

I just looked up his name after you posted this, he was an active inspector in Iraq between 1996-98. Appears he has given substantial testimony on this case, but it is the last line of this piece that seems to consistently play out from the Israeli military when defending themselves, regardless of the evidence strongly indicating otherwise.

"In her formal statement read to the inquest, Shah said that after Miller was pronounced dead, an Israeli officer who questioned her tried to suggest that a Palestinian gunman was responsible."

[DCKit]

3. But it's not an admisson of guilt.....

why is this human rights report relegated to the I/P dungeon? I'd like to have rec'd it.