LONDON: The British government on Tuesday apologized for not warning the British Airways that Iraq would attack Kuwait before one of his flights was trapped in the drama in the 1990s.
Passengers in Ba Flight 149 were released from Kuala Lumpur aircraft currently landing in the Gulf State August of that year, hours after Saddam Hussein’s troops entered.
Some of the 367 passengers and crew spend more than four months in captivity, including as a human shield in the hands of Iraq’s dictator.
The hostage had previously been looking for answers to what the government knew in London and when, and whether special forces were on flights, placing them at risk.
Foreign Minister Liz Truss told parliament that the UK Ambassador to Kuwait told London about reports about Iraq’s attack around midnight on August 2, 1990.
BA 149 was in the air when the message was forwarded to the department including the Ministry of Foreign and Defense, Downing Street and Defense MI6 intelligence service.
But it was not circulated to BA, said Truss in a written answer, because he released a file on the shows to the England national archive.
“The call made (by the Ambassador) has never been expressed or disclosed to the public to this day,” he added.
“These files indicate that the existence of calls is not revealed in parliament and the public.
This failure is not acceptable.” As the current Secretary of State, I apologize to the house for this, and I express the deepest sympathy to those who are being detained and persecuted.
“BA 149 late taking off, officially for” technical problems “, and landed in Kuwait City at 0113 GMT.
About 45 minutes later the city airport was closed.
Truss said the files were uncertain about the scale of Iraqi attacks, and no procedure There was at that time to warn risk airlines or flights.
He also reaffirmed the position of the government which previously stated that British special forces did not rise and “did not try in any way to exploit flights.
” Rugby team member? “He added.” This is a serious man, you just have to see them …
I know they are soldiers.
“A book published earlier this year,” Operation Trojan Horse “, claimed London intentionally placing passengers By using flights using flights to deploy disguised operatives and delay paintings to allow them to ride.