SAS soldiers being placed 'in real danger' by war crime inquiries in the courts, senior officers warn, saying hostile states and terrorists are exploiting legal proceedings to 'weaken' special forces

Special Air Service soldiers and their families are being placed in ‘real danger’ due to a High Court inquiry into allegations of war crimes, senior officers have warned.In a letter to its members, the SAS Regimental Association raised fears Russia and China, as well as terrorist groups, were exploiting legal proceedings at the Royal Courts of Justice.SASRA represents hundreds of SAS soldiers past and present who are currently being investigated over allegations of illegal engagements in Afghanistan and Northern Ireland.The most serious claims relate to their service in Afghanistan from 2010 to 2013. Soldiers stand accused of scores of Extra Judicial Killings (EJKs) of Taliban suspects in British custody.The findings of the judge-led Independent Inquiry Relating to Afghanistan are expected to trigger a criminal investigation by specialist military police officers.Potentially, soldiers face murder charges and their commanders could be indicted for crimes such as misconduct in public office and perverting the course of justice.The SAS could also suffer the ignominy of one of its four sabre squadrons being disbanded as a collective punishment.SASRA's intervention comes after Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch demanded that Prime Minister Andy Burnham stop the 'witch hunt' of SAS soldiers.Earlier this week, Mrs Badenoch said inquiries into allegations of wrongdoing would be 'Labour's legacy' unless he 'stops this nonsense'. SAS soldiers deployed to southern Afghanistan in 2010 on a top secret mission to eliminate the Taliban's IED networks responsible for roadside bombs that killed and wounded hundreds of British troops. Allegations that SAS soldiers executed Taliban suspects held in British custody are being investigated by the Independent Inquiry Relating to Afghanistan led by Lord Justice Sir Charles Haddon-Cave, seen here. The SASRA letter also refers to the persecution of SAS soldiers over the shooting of an ISIS terrorist in Syria, as exclusively revealed by the Mail in 2024. Five men, including 'Jay Cal', seen here, were wrongly accused of murder, a false allegation that damaged their careers. The military police investigations into the SAS shooting in Syria in 2022 followed an intervention by then Director Special Forces General Sir Gwyn Jenkins. He is presently the First Sea Lord.SASRA President Brigadier Ed Butler, retired, wrote: ‘Without doubt hostile state actors will be taking a special interest in the Inquiry as it provides them with the perfect hybrid opportunity to weaken a key Special Forces opponent through misinformation, disinformation and distortion.‘These bad actors, be they state, non-state or terrorist, do not respect borders, legalities and moral codes and will seek to exploit those vulnerabilities, potentially exposing those individuals and their families to real danger.‘Artificial intelligence and the cross referencing of public information create new risks of identification. We are clear of mind that the Ministry of Defence and the Inquiry are not giving proper attention to the threats posed to our personnel through their disclosure of information.’Brigadier Butler, a former SAS Commanding Officer (CO) who also led 16 Air Assault Brigade in Afghanistan, also repeated warnings about the never-ending persecution of soldiers adversely affecting recruitment and retention.SASRA is calling for independent scrutiny and strengthening of anonymity and personal security arrangements, including protection for troops and their dependents should their identities be compromised. Brigadier Ed Butler, seen here briefing paratroopers in Afghanistan in 2006 as the Commanding Officer of 16 Air Assault Brigade, has been appointed President of the Special Air Service Regimental Association (SASRA) Yesterday, Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch called on the Prime Minister to stop the SAS witch hunt by ending investigations - after reports elite soldiers are growing increasingly reluctant to deploy on sensitive operations due to the threat of retrospective legal action. The Prince of Wales is among the SAS's closest supporters. Last year the heir to the throne accepted an invitation to become patron of SASRA.The letter also cited the wrongful accusation of murder levelled against five SAS soldiers following the shooting of an ISIS terrorist in Syria, a story exclusively revealed by the Mail in 2024.Relating to the same incident, the regiment’s CO and other officers were wrongly accused of covering for their colleagues. They too were persecuted before eventually being cleared of any wrongdoing, as the Mail exclusively revealed weeks ago,Military police investigations into the Syria shooting, codenamed Operation Tanglement 1 and 2, followed an intervention by General Sir Gwyn Jenkins, who at the time was the Director Special Forces (DSF). He is presently the First Sea Lord.The SASRA letter to its membership also notes evidence unearthed by Mail Defence Editor Mark Nicol. In 2017 The Mail on Sunday ran the only interview with any SAS soldier directly involved in the EJKs. That account also features in his book Blades – the Untold Story of the SAS in Afghanistan – serialised by the Mail last month. The soldier’s first-hand account of his actions has been submitted to the Inquiry, without revealing his identity. The soldier revealed how Taliban bombmakers were repeatedly released from British custody due to human rights law and the SAS's Rules of Engagement were unsuited to conducting counterterrorist operations.Last night, the Ministry of Defence said: ‘Protecting the identity of our personnel is absolutely crucial and we have put in place strict security procedures for inquiry, including closed hearings, cyphered identities, witnesses appearing anonymously and strict information control. Anyone who breaches the protections put in place could face legal action.’ENDS