Brekelmans does not want to hear soldiers under oath in Hawija case, start research into commander

Minister of Defense Ruben Brekelmans (VVD) does not want to have soldiers interrogated under oath about how it is possible that the recently up -up video images of the Dutch bombing of Hawija were lost for years. Brekelmans writes that on Friday in one letter To the Lower House. He thereby rejects a recommendation from the independent committee that conducted the bombing of the bombing under the leadership of former minister Winnie Sorgdrager.

On the images in question you can see how a residential area was destroyed next to the bomb factory of Hawija in Iraq. Two Dutch F-16s attacked the factory in the night of 2 to 3 June 2015. In addition, 85 civilians were killed in the adjacent residential area, hundreds of others were injured. Only after de Volkskrant At the end of March had written about the images, the Ministry of Defense would have found the video after ten years.

The sorg carrier committee was « extremely unpleasant » about The « withheld » video and considered it « wise to have a number of involved soldiers explained under oath ». According to Brekelmans, it is only possible to belong to Brekelmans in a criminal investigation, or by an organization with that authority such as the House of Representatives or the Dutch Safety Board (OVV). Brekelmans previously announced an investigation into the late discovery of the video.

The minister now writes that an « internal investigation into the actions of the then detachment commander » is also being started. After the bombing, this commander should have entered a report that civilian casualties may have fallen, says the Sorg carrier committee.

Furthermore, Brekelmans announces that he will make the video images public on 16 April, as the Commission and the Lower House have asked.

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