Priest search for Iraqi prisoners fate

Priest search for Iraqi prisoners fate

Author: ABC Australia August 5, 2026 Duration: 11:56
For six years, a Church of England priest has been trying to uncover the fate of more than 60 Iraqis taken prisoner by Coalition forces during the 2003 Iraq invasion.  What makes this search for the truth so compelling is that before becoming a priest, Nicholas Mercer was a Lieutenant Colonel and one of the most senior lawyers in the British military.  As part of his search, he wrote repeatedly to the Inspector General of the Australian Defence Forced because Australian troops were involved in detaining the Iraqis.  Nicholas Mercer has finally received a response from the Inspector-General. The following statement can be attributed to a spokesperson for the Inspector-General of the Australian Defence Force: The Inspector-General of the Australian Defence Force’s role includes the examination of matters affecting military justice in the ADF.   The IGADF inquiry into Dr Mercer’s concerns did not find any evidence that substantiates wrongdoing on the part of the ADF.  GUEST: A former British Army Lieutenant-Colonel, the Rev Nicholas Mercer has been campaigning for the truth about war crimes in Iraq - he is also an Anglican priest

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