US grenade did kill Linda Norgrove, MPs told

The Foreign Secretary William Hague told MPs that officers involved in the rescue had been disciplined for failing to report the use of the grenade, as this failure had led to erroneous reports by the US military that Ms Norgrove had been killed by one of her Taliban captors.

In a statement to MPs, Mr Hague, said that a 10-man team had spent two and a half weeks in Afghanistan, investigating the circumstances surrounding her death. It found that troops involved in the rescue attempt had reported at the time that a grenade had been thrown, but that this “was not immediately reported up the military chain of command”.

He could not go into detail about the internal affairs of another country’s military operations, but said that it had been found that responsibility for this failure “lay with the rescue team, but not its junior members”. He would not reveal the nature of the disciplinary action taken – and paid tribute to the courage of those involved in the rescue attempt.

Rescue attempt

Mr Hague said that – from the moment Ms Norgrove was kidnapped in Kunar province of eastern Afghanistan in September – it was felt that a rescue attempt would be necessary.

“We judged that Linda Norgrove‘s life was in grave danger from the moment she was abducted, and we feared that her captors would pass her higher up the Taliban chain of command or move her to more inaccessible terrain,” he said.

“We also judged that the only credible prospect of securing her release was through a rescue attempt, which is why I authorised such an attempt to be made.”

“A grenade was thrown by a member of the rescue team who feared for his own life and for those of his team.” Foreign Secretary William Hague

Ms Norgrove’s captors were eventually tracked to two small groups of buildings high in the Dewagal valley in Kunar province, a region of steep mountain valleys and peaks ranging from eight to fourteen thousand feet, accessible in most areas only by pack animal or by foot. Rescuers went in aboard two helicopters in the middle of the night, in total darkness, said Mr Hague.

“On the basis of intelligence, analysis and surveillance it was judged that Linda was being held in the upper group of two groups of buildings,” he said.

“One of the two teams of soldiers landed near the lower group of buildings. The team came under attack as soon as they left their helicopter. As the soldiers progressed towards these lower buildings, Linda Norgrove’s captors came out and were engaged by the soldiers who were advancing on a narrow ledge and under threat.

Grenade

“A grenade was thrown by a member of the rescue team who feared for his own life and for those of his team, towards a gully from which some of the insurgents had emerged. When the grenade was thrown no member of the team had seen or heard Linda Norgrove.”

But when the team reached the upper group of buildings, where Ms Norgrove was believed to be, she could not be found – and it was only when they came back down to the gully where the exchange took place that her body was found. She had suffered “penetrating fragmentation injuries to the head and chest” and – because of injuries to the captor lying near her, it was believed that she may have died from the explosion of a suicide vest.

“After the investigation it is clear that these injuries were caused by the grenade,” said Mr Hague.

“Although the US soldiers did report their own use of a grenade, this was not immediately reported up the military chain of command. It was only on later examination of the video footage that the possibility that a grenade was thrown became known to more senior officers.”

A coroner’s inquest will be opened in the New Year, he confirmed.

Mr Hague revealed that the Prime Minister is planning to meet Ms Norgrove’s parents later today to pass on the condolences of the government.

“Linda Norgrove’s death was a terrible tragedy. Her parents have paid tribute to her inspiring devotion to the people of Afghanistan and her love for the country. I believe all in this House will have been moved by her example and her dedication.” he added.