Article Free Sgt Al Blackman - Royal Marine

[Bombardier]

The 2011 Helmand Province incident was the killing, on 15 September 2011,of an injured Taliban insurgent by Royal Marines.Three Royal Marines, known during their trial as Marines A, B, and C, were anonymously tried by court-martial. On 8 November 2013, Marines B and C were acquitted, but Marine A was found guilty of the murder of the Afghan combatant, in contravention of section 42 of the Armed Forces Act 2006.This made him the first British soldier to be convicted of a battlefield murder whilst serving abroad since the Second World War.

On 5 December, Lord Chief Justice Lord Thomas and two other High Court judges lifted the existing anonymity order on Marine A, allowing him to be named as Sergeant Alexander Wayne Blackman. On 6 December, Blackman was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of ten years, and dismissed with disgrace from the British Armed Forces.On 22 May 2014, the Courts Martial Appeal Court reduced his minimum term to eight years. In March 2017, the conviction for murder was overturned and reduced to manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility.

On 19 December 2013, the anonymity order on Marines B and C was also lifted by the Court, and they were named as Corporal Christopher Glyn Watson and Marine Jack Alexander Hammond.

On 28 October 2015, the Ministry of Defence banned a large number of serving soldiers from attending a rally in support of Sergeant Blackman, saying that the event was a "political protest". However, lawyers representing the rally organisers stated that was not the case, rather, the event was "a show of support to one of our fellow Royal Marines and not a 'political protest'". A related online government petition raised over 100,000 signatures calling for Sergeant Blackman's immediate release stating that the soldier had been condemned for defending his country. Within hours of the MoD's decision Michael Fallon, Minister for Defence, put out a government statement saying that the UK would maintain military operations in Afghanistan for the foreseeable future.

Text by Wikipedia

• Sgt Alexander Blackman has already served three years and could now be released as early as next week
• Royal Marine hero was jailed for life for murder in 2013 over shooting incident in Helmand in 2011
• The judges, led by Lord Chief Justice Lord Thomas, agreed that shooting was not a 'cold-blooded execution'
• Court also agreed he was under 'exceptional' stress when he shot dead the already wounded Taliban fighter
• 'Big Al' will face sentencing hearing next week but legal team will say he must be freed because of time served
• His 'delighted' wife Claire grinned as her husband's conviction was quashed and called for reduced sentence
• Campaigner Frederick Forsyth says he and other supporters will pursue 'villains' who put him in jail

Read more
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...ourt-Judges-clear-Sgt-Alexander-Blackman.html

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LIEUTENANT COLONEL EWEN SOUTHBY-TAILYOUR OBE (Retired after 32 years service in HM Royal Marines)

Commander of the Task Force Landing Craft Squadron during the Falklands War

"As one who has been in a similar position (sort of) to Al Blackman I know what it is like to have to make such a choice. When you are under attack - or threat of attack - your first thoughts are not for the obviously-dying (friend or foe) but for the safety of the men you have the privilege and honour to command. The legal 'niceties' have no place in your thoughts - and nor should they have. Thrashing the enemy while bringing your men safely through the battle is all a leader can worry about - all he should worry about - and that, quite rightly, came through loud and clear in the Panorama programme.

If the MOD's prosecuting authority does not understand that and makes no allowances for 'realpolitik' in its deliberations then it is high time that the realities of an infantry fire-fight are at last acknowledged and accepted as a formal and proper part of any defence. This, I believe, is the watershed the military authorities must now face and I have faith that the high court judges (the Court Martial Appeal Board) will allow them to do so.

Onwards!

Ewen"

Facebook page - Justice for Marine A
https://www.facebook.com/justiceformarineA/?hc_ref=NEWSFEED

 

[Bombardier]

This is a disgusting way to treat a hero, his Murder conviction has been reduced and we hope that he will now be released.

Respect to you sir, the real people of this country are behind you brother

 

[Bombardier]

Sgt Blackman's wife Claire at a rally in Parliament Square, London, in support of her husband

CREDIT: NICK ANSELL/PA

 

[Bombardier]

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[Bombardier]

The British guy in this video needs to be shot himself, he has no idea about the circumstances or that that Sgt Al Blackman was suffering with mental stress and was not acting the way he would have done had he not of been as ill as he was.

Veterans for peace?

 

[BravoZulu]

The vid is from "In The Now" RT which I believe is a Russian purveyor of misinformation. Pure drivel that will make your brain hurt!

 

[ENGINEER]

The vid is from "In The Now" RT which I believe is a Russian purveyor of misinformation. Pure drivel that will make your brain hurt!

Exactly right. Propaganda network.