A high court judge has blocked attempts by families of soldiers killed in Iraq to seek compensation from the government under human rights legislation.
But Mr Justice Owen allowed a negligence claim brought on behalf of one soldier's child to go ahead – a ruling lawyers hailed as a landmark.
Lawyers representing families said they aimed to appeal against the judgment on human rights claims.
Relatives said the Ministry of Defence failed to provide armoured vehicles or equipment which could have saved lives and should pay compensation.
MoD lawyers said decisions about battlefield equipment were for politicians and military commanders and asked the high court to stop compensation claims going forward.
The judge announced his ruling on Thursday after hearing arguments from all sides during a three-day hearing in London in May. Owen had heard that compensation claims had been made following an incident in which a British Challenger tank opened fire on another British Challenger tank after an officer became "disorientated" and incidents in which soldiers died after Snatch Land Rovers hit improvised bombs.
Corporal Stephen Allbutt, 35, of Sneyd Green, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, was killed by "friendly fire" in March 2003 after his Challenger 2 tank was hit by another Challenger 2 tank.
Private Phillip Hewett, 21, of Tamworth, Staffordshire, died in July 2005 after a Snatch Land Rover was blown up.
Similar explosions claimed the lives of Private Lee Ellis, 23, of Wythenshawe, Greater Manchester, in February 2006, and Lance Corporal Kirk Redpath, 22, of Romford, Essex, in August 2007.
source: guardian.co.uk
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