SAS officers may face public questions

But how often will the Afghanistan inquiry come up for air?

The chair of the independent inquiry into alleged unlawful killings by UK special forces in Afghanistan has refused a request from the Ministry of Defence for all military witnesses to give oral evidence behind closed doors.

But Sir Charles Haddon-Cave said in a 49-page ruling published this week that — for reasons of national security — many hearings would take place with outsiders excluded. He also imposed other restrictions requested by the government and the military police, despite objections from news organisations.

Sir Charles Haddon-Cave

At a hearing last month, Brian Altman KC for the Ministry of Defence argued that all oral evidence from military witnesses about so-called deliberate detention operations in Afghanistan more than a decade ago should be given in closed session, with no open element.

“The application covers not just the evidence of witnesses deployed on the ground,” observed Haddon-Cave, “but also those involved in directing and managing those operations at distance.”