Veterans Minister Johnny Mercer has been instructed to reveal the identities of whistleblowers who disclosed to him allegations of war crimes committed by British special forces in Afghanistan and a subsequent cover-up. Mercer has until April 5 to provide this information to an independent inquiry. If he fails to do so, he faces a possible fine or imprisonment. The Independent Inquiry Relating to Afghanistan has insisted that the whistleblowers’ identities will remain confidential. Mercer has previously suggested that he would refuse to disclose the whistleblowers’ identities.
A notice under the Inquiries Act 2005 was served on Mercer this month regarding the disclosure of the whistleblowers’ identities. However, the contents of the notice have been released to the public only now. The Independent Inquiry Relating to Afghanistan is investigating potential extrajudicial killings and the deaths of unarmed people in night raids carried out by British special forces between 2010 and 2013.
During his previous appearances with the inquiry, Mercer had declined to identify the individuals who provided him with information on suspected extrajudicial killings by special forces, even in the presence of counsel. Mercer has stated that he is working to maintain his integrity by not revealing the whistleblowers’ identities. The chair of the inquiry, Sir Charles Haddon-Cave, has criticized Mercer for not identifying individuals and has claimed that Mercer has an inappropriate sense of loyalty.
Mercer served with a special task force in Afghanistan from 2008 to 2009. He has disclosed that he was informed by a serving member of the SBS that he was asked to carry a “drop weapon,” a non-NATO weapon carried by UK Special Forces troops that could have been planted on the body of someone killed during a mission. This was done to falsely suggest that the unarmed person killed posed a threat to UK troops. Mercer also disclosed that he had detected an “odour” emanating from the Special Air Service, which related to allegations of regiment members unlawfully killing those who posed no danger to UK forces. Mercer has also declined to furnish to the inquiry the identity of the SBS member asked to carry a drop weapon
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