Wednesday, 8 June 2011
We piled on the pressure by handing over a DVD copy of the harrowing 15-minute cockpit recording to Coroner’s officer Geoff Webb.
Official footage will now be passed to Oxford Assistant Deputy Coroner Andrew Walker who is leading the inquiry into Matty Hull’s death.
American military chiefs had refused to give up the “top secret” recording to the inquest after it was first officially revealed last week.
But after relentless pressure yesterday following The Sun’s exclusive the Pentagon caved in.
But that was only after talks at the highest levels of the Ministry of Defence and the US Department of Defence.
Click to see the shocking video
Sources said our top brass begged the Americans to see sense.
They finally cracked at 5pm, with a US embassy spokesman in London saying: “I can confirm that we have authorised the UK government to release the transcript and DVD to the coroner for use in camera.”
A defining moment yesterday came when Coroner Mr Walker said he was ready to use The Sun’s cockpit tape as it was already in the public domain.
He had previously been DENIED use of an official version ? and thanked The Sun.
After receiving our DVD before the Americans caved in, Coroner’s officer Mr Webb said: “On behalf of the coroner, I would like to say thank you for providing us with a copy.
“As this material is now in the public domain, it is now freely admissible as evidence.
“If the MoD do not provide the coroner with a copy of the tape by Friday, he can submit The Sun’s copy.”
Welcoming the U-turn, Defence Secretary Des Browne said: “This decision is good news for Matty Hull’s family and I welcome it.
“The release of classified information, even for the closest of allies, is never straightforward, but this is the right thing to do.”
Liberal Democrat leader Menzies Campbell added: “Common sense has prevailed.
“It would have been Alice in Wonderland if the coroner had not been able to use evidence which everyone else had seen.”
Sun readers yesterday rushed to praise our action.
Former military pilot Peter Croggon said: “I could not believe what I was hearing.
“We would be lucky if we had more than ten seconds to identify a target. These people had five to six minutes.
“They knew what the identifying sign was, an orange top; their control told them about friendlies after they fired.
“It was little different from playing a computer game, and for them no more dangerous.”
Dr Jim Swire ? who spent years seeking the truth surrounding the death of his daughter Flora in the 1988 Lockerbie disaster ? applauded us for running the tape.
He said: “Congratulations on making a major contribution to the Hull family’s right to know the truth of how and why their son Matty came to be killed four years ago.
“It cannot bring him back, but the family have a right and need to know all about the circumstances of his death.”
Businessman Darren King, 36, of Swindon, Wilts, said: “I have got a mate who is in the Army and he said all the squaddies are absolutely over the moon that you published this.”
Billy Kerr, of Sunderland, said: “After watching the tape I felt sad and angry for the poor soldier who was killed.
“I also feel sorrow for the pilots who were flying the mission that day.”
News of our sensational scoop went around the world like wildfire yesterday. From China to Alaska, TV, radio and newspapers were clamouring for more details of our exclusive.
Meanwhile our Fleet Street rivals could only try and frantically copy the story.
The exclusive was the lead item all day on Sky News, the BBC and ITV.
And our dramatic footage was shown across America by national stations CNN, CBS and Fox.
CBS said: “The Sun obtained the video in spite of the militaries of both countries seeking to prevent it being made public.”
One Fox newsman spoke of the “cockpit recording the Pentagon tried to suppress showing US pilots in Iraq discussing friendly-fire attack on convoy in 2003.
In the leaked video an American pilot is heard saying, ?We’re in jail, dude.’ ”
Meanwhile, the scores of local TV stations across the US were also reporting our exclusive
In North Carolina, WWAY TV said: “The British newspaper The Sun has released a leaked video of the aftermath of a friendly fire incident in Iraq.”
In Tulsa, Oklahoma, KOTV announced: “Video details mistake made by US pilot who killed British soldier in friendly fire incident.”