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U.K. officer faces trial

Richard Norton-Taylor

LONDON: A British air force officer faces a court martial for refusing to serve in Iraq on the grounds that the invasion of the country was illegal, defence officials said on Monday. Flight Lieutenant Malcolm Kendall-Smith, a medical officer based in Scotland, faces four counts of disobeying a lawful command under the 1955 Air Force Act. He is the first British officer to face charges on these grounds and his prosecution is likely to add to growing unease among the military about the war in Iraq. He may face a jail sentence, though senior military officers, concerned about the effect of Iraq on the morale of British armed forces personnel, will not relish the prospect of a martyr and another focus of opposition to the war and invasion of Iraq.

- Guardian Newspapers Limited 2005

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