Dodgy Iraq ‘war crimes’ will STILL be probed even though tank-chaser’s shameful stitch-up has been exposed
Self styled human rights supporter to head up investigation despite conceding he must be struck off over his behaviour
DODGY “war crimes” claims led by disgraced lawyer Phil Shiner will still be investigated, it emerged yesterday.
Even the self-styled Human Rights lawyer now concedes he must be struck off over his behaviour.
But despite his shock admission of wrongdoing - and the collapse of his firm after an investigation by the Legal Aid Agency - the £57m Iraq Historic Allegations Team said it would STILL investigate claims lodged by Shiner.
Former commander of British forces in Afghanistan Col Richard Kemp, said: “Every PIL case should now be discontinued in the light of Shiner’s admission.
“Not to do so is a blatant waste of money but also opens the very real possibility innocent troops will be needlessly investigated.
“He has admitted acting without integrity to snare those with the highest integrity. He should apologise and every case stained by his name should be shredded.”
But investigators – who have been flooded by hundreds of cases by Shiner’s firm Public Interest Lawyers - claimed they could not “simply ignore” Shiner’s case loads.
An IHAT spokesman, said: “The Government is legally obliged, under both domestic and international law, to ensure that there is an independent and effective investigation of allegations of criminal behaviour by UK Armed Forces in Iraq.
“Large numbers of allegations have been made, many of them by PIL.
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“We cannot simply ignore all the allegations made by PIL just because the company is now discredited.”
IHAT said they had so far binned off 70 per cent of claims, according to figures released at the end of November.
According to their monthly stats they confirmed 3,392 allegations had been received.
So far, 1,667 had been sifted or closed with “minimal investigation” with a further 694 cases now closed or in the process of being closed.
They predict there will be 60 investigations left by the middle of next year.
Meanwhile sources at the Ministry of Justice have confirmed to The Sun on Sunday Shiner cannot claim legal aid for a defence team at his disciplinary hearing next month.
A source admitted disciplinary tribunals fall outside the scope of legal aid.
Shiner’s current lawyer admitted on Thursday she may not be representing him at the two week hearings next month due to his “depleting resources.”
Shiner came clean on the eve of a hearing at London’s Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal on Thursday which will hold the trial into yet more misconduct allegations in January.
Andrew Tabachnik, putting the case against Mr Shiner for the Solicitors Regulation Authority, said: “Even on the basis of his own admissions,
Professor Shiner accepts this tribunal must strike him off at the end of this case.”
The allegations are linked to the collapsed £31m five year long Al Sweady Inquiry into allegations British troops killed and mutilated innocent Iraqis, which proved false.