British guard appears in court over Baghdad killings

The Guardian ^ | August 8, 2009 | Martin Chulov and Steven Morris

[Allegra]

The British security contractor accused of murdering two western colleagues in Baghdad and critically wounding an Iraqi appeared in court today and "made a full confession" about his role in the alleged rampage, according to a senior Iraqi official.

Daniel Fitzsimons, a former Paratrooper, appeared before an investigative judge who told him he faces the death penalty if convicted. Interior ministry spokesman Major General Abdul-Kareem Kalaph said last night that Fitzsimons had confessed during the brief hearing to shooting dead his colleagues.

[a fool in paradise]

Amnesty International UK media director Mike Blakemore said: "As with all capital cases, Amnesty would strenuously oppose the application of the death penalty if applied to Mr Fitzsimons in this case. Iraq has a dreadful record of unfair capital trials. The important thing now is that, if Danny Fitzsimons is put on trial, he is allowed a fair trial process without resort to the cruelty of a death sentence."

Still waiting to hear Amnesty International speaking out against IED attacks on school children, decapitations on video, etc. etc.

[Bigg Red]

Interior ministry spokesman Major General Abdul-Kareem Kalaph....

[Vanders9]

What are Amnesty appealing against? There is no doubt the man is guilty - he has confessed to the crime after all! They can hardly be opposing this because it is not a “fair” trial. They must be calling for clemency - so why not say that?

[a fool in paradise]

Amnesty International must agree with the blackshirted anarchist in California who waved the banned “I support our troops when they shoot their officers”.

Even nations that opposed the death penalty still supported it for crimes against the State.