Gen Gwyn Jenkins, a high-ranking British military officer, received warnings in 2011 about extrajudicial killings allegedly committed by SAS soldiers in Afghanistan. Instead of reporting these to military police, he locked the evidence in a classified dossier. The issue, involving allegations of unlawful killings during night raids and the planting of weapons to justify these acts, is currently under investigation in a public inquiry.
Key Points:
- Warnings Received: Gen Gwyn Jenkins was informed in writing about claims that SAS soldiers had executed handcuffed detainees in Afghanistan, with some accounts suggesting that weapons were planted posthumously to justify the killings.
- Evidence Handling: Rather than referring this evidence to military police as required by law, Gen Jenkins secured it in a classified dossier that remained inaccessible for years.
- Lack of Proper Investigation: The information in the dossier was not made available to military police for a significant period, hindering any potential investigation into the allegations.
- Public Inquiry: The allegations against British special forces, including extrajudicial killings during night raids in Afghanistan, are now the subject of a judge-led public inquiry.
- Career Progression Amidst Allegations: Despite these serious allegations, Gen Jenkins rose through the military ranks, holding various significant positions, including as the head of UK Special Forces and the vice chief of the defence staff.
