These appeals arise out of the deaths of six Iraqi civilians caused by the actions of British soldiers in southern Iraq, when the UK was recognised as an occupying power. Five of the deceased were shot in separate armed incidents involving British troops. The sixth died following gross ill-treatment whilst in custody in a UK military detention facility ('the Mousa case'). Except in one case, in which the appellant claimed that the victim was shot unintentionally during an exchange of fire between a British patrol and a number of gunmen, the Secretary of State for Defence accepts that the relatives were killed by members of the British forces. In each case, a relative of the deceased sought an independent inquiry into the circumstances of the respective killings. Only in respect of the Mousa case did the courts below accept the claimants' demand.
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