Mother of soldier killed in Iraq believes Chilcot Report backs her call for Blair to face prosecution

The mother of a military policeman killed in Iraq says the Chilcot Report backs what she and other families believed all along.
By The Newsroom
Published 6th Jul 2016, 11:53 BST
Updated 25th Aug 2016, 19:59 BST
Pat Long with a photograph of her son Corporal Paul Long, who died in Iraq in 2003.Pat Long with a photograph of her son Corporal Paul Long, who died in Iraq in 2003.
Pat Long with a photograph of her son Corporal Paul Long, who died in Iraq in 2003.

Pat Long, who lost her 24-year-old son Paul in 2003, has said the inquiry into the war proves Tony Blair “lied” about the details which led to the conflict and claimed the lives of 179 British servicemen and women.

Mrs Long has called for the former prime minister to face prosecution, with the report by Sir John Chilcot finding the Labour leader’s Government went ahead with military action on the basis of flawed intelligence.

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The 64-year-old, who lives in Jarrow, said of today’s findings: “It is what we expected.

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“My boy could still have been here.

“I won’t know all the details until I read the report itself, but from what I’ve heard from the families conference, it is what we all thought it would say.

“He lied.

“He should face war crimes and I stand by all the families.

“It has been seven years, but it has been worth waiting for.

“Our children should never have been sent out there.”

Corporal Long and five other Royal Military Police (RMP) had been sent to a police station in Majar-al-Kabir in south east Iraq, to meet officers they had been tasked to work with.

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But the station was surrounded and attacked and all six redcaps were killed.

Pat, of Salem Street, will take delivery of her 12-volume copy of the report on Friday.

She has decided to remain in the North East to hear of the findings, rather than attend the launch of the report in London.

Related topics:Tony BlairIraqGovernment