Story perspectives

British SAS Accused of Forklift Detainee Drop, Inquiry Launched

7/16/2026

Summary

SAS Dropped Prisoners

British special forces were accused of dropping detainees from a forklift.
Monica Grenfell, SAS staff, said a soldier bragged about lifting and dropping prisoners.
Army Reserve captain Christopher Green was called a “Taliban-loving apologist” after he said intelligence identified the three men as farmers, not Taliban, while SAS claimed self-defence.
The inquiry heard mother Bebe Hazrata received £3,634, and the Ministry of Defence will wait for the report before commenting.

Summary

Diplomats Urge

The inquiry is likened to Australia’s Brereton Report, indicating a pattern of unlawful killings by Western special forces in Afghanistan.
Diplomats urge Britain to revise defence pacts so host nations such as Kenya retain primary jurisdiction over foreign troops accused of civilian crimes.
Analysts recommend civilian-led oversight committees with full access to unredacted records and an external whistle-blower system to protect service members reporting human-rights abuses.

History

Historical Context

Abu Ghraib, built by Western contractors in the 1960s, was Saddam Hussein’s notorious torture prison where thousands were executed. After the 2003 U.S. invasion, the prison became a U.S. detention center; leaked April 2004 photos sparked global outrage and a military investigation. The August 25, 2004 Fay Report blamed inadequate contractor oversight, citing 27 intelligence-brigade members and many CACI staff involved.

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SAS Dropped Prisoners

British special forces were accused of dropping detainees from a forklift.
Monica Grenfell, SAS staff, said a soldier bragged about lifting and dropping prisoners.
Army Reserve captain Christopher Green was called a “Taliban-loving apologist” after he said intelligence identified the three men as farmers, not Taliban, while SAS claimed self-defence.
The inquiry heard mother Bebe Hazrata received £3,634, and the Ministry of Defence will wait for the report before commenting.

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