British soldier faces manslaughter charges over Afghanistan 'friendly fire' deaths

The forward air controller is said to have given the wrong directions to long-range F-15 strike jets, which dropped a 500lb bomb killing the soldiers from 1 Royal Anglian Regiment.

Privates Robert Foster and Aaron McClure, both 19, and John Thrumble, 21, died in the disaster, and two of their comrades were seriously injured.

Privates (from left) Aaron McClure, Robert Foster and John Thrumble were killed when a 500lb bomb was dropped

Following a probe, the soldier alleged to have wrongly directed the warplanes is said to have been formally warned he faces charges of manslaughter by 'gross negligence'.

The incident last August was the worst 'friendly fire' attack involving British forces in the country, bringing the death toll in Afghanistan to 50.

Reports suggest American planes were given the wrong co-ordinates for the position of Taliban fighters, and instead fired on British troops 1,000 metres away. 

The soldiers were part of a 100-man patrol deployed to disrupt Taliban movements from their base near Kajaki, in northern Helmand province.

At about 6.30pm the patrol was attacked by Taliban fighters and came under heavy fire from automatic weapons and rocket-propelled grenades.

Six soliders from B Company occupied a deserted compound and called for a US air strike on the enemy. 

F15: The type of jet involved in the 'friendly fire' attack in Afghanistan that left three soldiers dead

But they watched in horror as the bomb intended for the Taliban headed towards them - their final moments captured on a soldier's headcam and passed to Sky news. 

The two injured soldiers, including one critically ill, were evacuated by helicopter to the medical facility at Camp Bastion, bringing the regiment's death toll in Afghanistan to nine.

An Army Board of Inquiry was halted when video footage and radio transmissions provided by the Americans, revealed US forces were not to blame for the tragedy.

A probe was then carried out by Royal Military Police. Their findings may now be passed on to the Army Prosecuting Authority which has the power to bring charges against the soldier. 

A Ministry of Defence spokesman said last night: 'The RMP investigation into the deaths of three British soldiers near Kajaki, Afghanistan, has concluded, and their report has been passed to the Chain of Command for their consideration. 

'If the matter is referred to the independent Army Prosecuting Authority (APA), the APA will consider what, if any, action is to be taken, based upon the evidence and by applying normal prosecutorial tests.  

'The APA is under the general superintendence of the Attorney General.  Neither MOD, Ministers nor the chain of command play any part in such decisions.'

Eight British soldiers been killed in friendly fire attacks in Iraq . They include Lance Corporal Matty Hull, 25, who died when a US A-10 fired on two armoured vehicles in March 2003.

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