British took part in friendly fire inquiry which cleared US pilots
A spokesman for US central command, based in Tampa, Florida, said yesterday the investigation concluded the pilots were not to blame.
Another US military official confirmed that the pilots, a lieutenant-colonel and major at the time of the incident, are flying warplanes again, attached to the 190th Air Fighter Squadron, based at Boise, Idaho.
Major David Small, spokesman for US central command, said: "The inquiry concluded three main points: that the incident took place in a complex combat environment; that the pilots believed they were engaging enemy targets based on the best information they had at the time; the pilots followed the appropriate procedures and processes for engaging enemy targets.
"Because of these three things, the report deemed the pilots not culpable and, therefore, no disciplinary action was taken. The report basically concluded that, though the loss of life was tragic, it was indeed an accident."
According to the Telegraph
Pentagon will not discipline 'friendly fire' pilots
The Pentagon refused last night to take any further disciplinary action against the US pilots whose "friendly fire" attack on British tanks in the Iraq war killed a soldier and wounded four others.
But, faced with a public relations disaster, it agreed officially to hand over the evidence for the inquest into the death of L/Cpl of Horse Matty Hull on condition that it was seen only by his family and by the Oxford assistant deputy coroner Andrew Walker.
The Sun which of course broke the story claims on its front page that
Matty pilot now trains Top Guns
THE pilot in the “friendly fire” horror is now in charge of training other US fliers to kill, The Sun can reveal.
The airman, nicknamed Skeeter, was promoted to Colonel with the Air National Guard’s A10 tankbuster training wing at a top US base.
He teaches novices how to dive and strafe targets, as he did in the attack that killed Lance Cpl of Horse Matty Hull.
The Independent stays with the Iraq theme
Blair's defence of special relationship with US has hollow ring
Tony Blair was accused of "delusional" behaviour after he mounted a strong defence of making Britain's special relationship with the United States the cornerstone of his foreign policy.
An unrepentant Mr Blair told MPs the relationship had given Britain more clout at the world's top table during his 10 years in power and insisted that it had resulted directly in progress on climate change, the Middle East and Africa. But his critics said little progress had been made on these issues and that Mr Blair had enjoyed little influence over President George Bush.
The Mirror reports on another of the Prime Ministers comments:
BLAIR: WE CAN'T GO ON WITHOUT TOLL TAX
TONY Blair yesterday defied growing public anger to insist the Government would press ahead with road tolls.
His comments to a committee of MPs came as public support for the Mirror-backed petition against road-charging smashed the 700,000 barrier.
Mr Blair told the MPs that people needed to realise taxpayers could not continually fund new roads.
And he said road-pricing was a key way of getting more money to cut congestion and improve public transport.
Mr Blair said: "In the future, I don't believe you will get consent for general taxpayer-funded massive investment in transport.
"You'll have to do it on a basis that spreads the cost."
The Times returns to the Bird Flu story breakin the news that
Vet admitted to hospital for H5N1 bird flu test
The unamed vet, in his early 60s, complained of feeling unwell after spending two days investigating the disease at the Bernard Matthews plant in Holton.
He is said to be suffering from a mild respiratory illness and is in an isolation ward at a central Nottingham Hospital.
The vet was one of about 12 state vets called up to help to track the disease and compile a report on the movements of people, vehicles and animals on to the farm.
A spokesman for the Health Protection Agency confirmed that the man was being tested for avian flu as part of a range of tests to find out the cause of his illness.
The Telegraph meanwhile leads on
Plans to strip hospitals of maternity units
Women in labour could face lengthy journeys by ambulance to distant specialist units under plans which would strip dozens of local hospitals of consultant-led maternity services.
Department of Health proposals unveiled yesterday seek a smaller number of consultant units to deal with the most complicated births and the sickest babies.
The Mirror leads with a news of a second parcel bombing incident
SPEEDING CAMERA BOMBER
A MAIL bomb yesterday exploded at offices linked to motoring fines for the second time in 24 hours.
The bomb, sent to the boss of a speed camera firm, wounded two workers. On Monday a woman was hurt at the HQ of London congestion charge firm Capita by a similar device.
Police fear a driver with a grudge may be waging a terror campaign. A source said after yesterday's blast in Wokingham, Berks: "It may be somebody who has lost their licence because of speeding points."
Last night the wife of a speed camera boss targeted by the letter bomber told of their terror - but vowed not to give in to the maniac.
The Indy says
Police have yet to establish whether the two most recent attacks were carried out by the same person or group. There are some similarities - the devices were targeted at two companies involved in motoring offences, and contained a similar amount of explosive. Forensic specialists are examining the homemade bombs for further links.
The Mail reports on the
Downfall of Britain's 'Godfather' of crime
It took a decade-long police and security service investigation costing taxpayers more than £50million.
But the "Godfather" of Britain's most notorious crime family is finally behind bars.
Terry Adams, 52, faces up to 14 years in jail after he admitted conspiring to hide £1million – a tiny proportion of an estimated illicit fortune of £200million.
The Guardian reports on
Police hunting for gunmen who killed boy in his bed
Detectives were last night hunting two men who shot dead a churchgoing schoolboy in his own bed in what is believed to have been a case of mistaken identity.
The 15-year-old was shot in his home in Peckham, south London, just after midnight yesterday. The gunmen are believed to have forced the door to the house in Diamond Way, before shooting the teenager who was at home with his sister. She tried to save his life before calling the emergency services.
Police believe the house was targeted by the killers, but there were no clues from the 15-year-old's seemingly exemplary life to explain why he should have been the victim of a callous gangland-style killing.
The Times reports on the first conclusion of the honours enquiry
Former headmaster arrested over Labour loans is ‘in the clear’
A former government adviser who was arrested in the loans-for-peerages inquiry will not be charged, the Crown Prosecution Service said yesterday.
Des Smith, the first person to be detained by detectives investigating the sale of honours, was told that he was no longer viewed as a suspect. The news will provide some relief to Downing Street and lead to claims from government insiders that the ten-month inquiry may not have enough evidence to charge anyone.
Most of the papers report on the story eminating from Nasa yesterday,the Guardian reporting
Spacewoman falls to Earth on charge of trying to kill love rival
It took Lisa Nowak 12 days, 18 hours, 37 minutes and 54 seconds, travelling a distance of 5.3 million miles, to secure her place last July in one of the world's most elite clubs: voyagers to space. It took her about 14 hours, and a journey of 950 miles, on Monday to destroy it.
Mrs Nowak was charged with attempted first-degree murder yesterday in the most bizarre incident involving any of Nasa's active-duty astronauts. The charge, together with others of attempted kidnapping and battery, relate to an apparent love triangle she was embroiled in with a fellow male astronaut and
a female air force captain whom she suspected of being a rival to his affections.
The Sun reporting on the sme story headlines
Astronut girl wore a nappy
AN obsessed woman astronaut was charged with attempted murder last night after botching a plot to kidnap a love rival.
Lisa Nowak — nicknamed Robo-Chick — armed herself with a gun, knife and pepper spray for the showdown with Colleen Shipman.
She also wore a wig and trenchcoat disguise and drove 900 miles in NAPPIES to confront Ms Shipman — so she would not have to stop for a toilet break.
The Times is one of the papers that reports
Ryanair's secret memo over pilot safety fears
Ryanair is threatening to sack pilots after being criticised by air accident investigators over a series of dangerous approaches to airports. In the latest incident to emerge, an aircraft flew so low over rooftops that it triggered two warnings in the cockpit and sixteen complaints from alarmed residents.
It was the third serious incident in less than a year, and the fourth in two years, involving a Ryanair jet approaching an airport too fast or at the wrong height and being forced to abort landing.
All Ryanair staff are under pressure to meet turnaround times of only 25 minutes, the tightest in the industry, and pilot unions say that this can lead to mistakes.
The weather seems to be making the news even before it happens,the Telegraph running
Up to six inches of snow will bring travel chaos
Southern Britain is bracing itself for its most wintry weather in recent years, with forecasters expecting six inches of snow in some areas.
The Met Office issued severe weather warnings yesterday, predicting up to two inches of snow would hit London by the Thursday morning rush hour. The rest of southern England could see snowfall of between four and six inches.
The Express leads with the same story
7 INCHES OF SNOW TO PARALYSE BRITIAN
Finally some tabloid news,the Daily Star reports on
Russell Brand's Big Brother celeb sex book
TELLY host Russell Brand has launched a legal fight to ban an explosive book detailing his seedy sex romps and battles against drugs and bulimia.The unofficial biography lists his sordid sessions with a whole string of women, including prostitutes.It claims the Big Brother’s Big Mouth host lost his virginity at the age of 16 to a Filipino hooker, booked for him by his dad.The book also lifts the lid on his £100-a-day heroin addiction, as well as his struggle against the slimming disorder bulimia.And it details his flings with celeb babes, including Big Brother stars Kate Lawler and Makosi Musambasi, both 26, as well as past conquests Russell would rather keep quiet about.Russell Brand: Unleashed, Untamed, Unauthorized, by journalist Tanith Carey, is due to hit the bookshops on February 15.
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