The Report of the Iraq Inquiry

security situation was “now far more difficult than hitherto”. It was “complex and

multi‑layered” and, with the intimidation and killing of key people, it was having an

effect on governance and recovery.

283.  On 3 September, a CIG Assessment reported:

“The recent fighting has shown that the Mahdi Army is developing into an

increasingly resolute organisation, capable of launching sophisticated attacks …

They have been able to mount determined and sophisticated attacks using small

arms, improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and heavier weapons such as mortars

and RPGs … Al‑Sadr retains the ability to mobilise a significant body of poor,

unemployed Shia youth.”141

284.  The Assessment also stated that “some recovered anti‑armour weapons may have

been procured through Lebanese Hizballah with Iranian knowledge”.

285.  On 26 September, a report from Mr Robert Davies, Chief Police Adviser to the

Iraq Ministry of Interior, stated that the FCO’s Overseas Security Adviser had directed

UK police staff not to travel in Snatch Land Rovers because of inadequate armour.142

Mr Davies wrote:

“This direction places a significant limitation on the deployment of our staff …

The appropriate protection could be provided by a team from the Control Risk

Group,143 but there are insufficient numbers to meet our requirements.”

286.  Acting Commander Kevin Hurley, Chief Police Adviser in Basra June 2004 to

December 2004, wrote in a statement to the Inquiry:

“Security conditions made road travel almost impossible … [W]e were not allowed

to travel in Army vehicles due to their lack of protection (Snatches). We were all

but ineffective for most of our time. Ultimately … we reached a stage whereby if

we could not get a helicopter ride we did not move.”144

287.  On 28 September, Corporal Marc Taylor and Gunner David Lawrence were killed

during the ambush of a military convoy south‑west of Basra.145 An armoured Land

Rover was badly damaged and the soldiers came under fire as they tried to extract

the casualties.

141  CIG Assessment, 3 September 2004, ‘Iraq security: Shia violence in Multi‑National Division

(South East)’.

142  Minute Davies, 26 September 2004, ‘Weekly report number: 46’.

143  Control Risks Group was the security company contracted to provide armed support to UK secondees.

Its role and the security concerns for civilian personnel is detailed in Section 15.1.

144  Statement, 17 June 2010, page 3.

145  BBC, 30 September 2004, MOD names second killed soldier; GOV.UK, 1 October 2004, Corporal Marc

Taylor and Gunner David Lawrence killed in Iraq.

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