UK paper reveals video of US 145;friendly fire146;

A British newspaper published transcripts on Tuesday of what it said was a cockpit video recording from a US warplane at the center of an inquest into 8220;friendly fire8221; in Iraq in which a British soldier was killed.

A British newspaper published transcripts on Tuesday of what it said was a cockpit video recording from a US warplane at the center of an inquest into 8220;friendly fire8221; in Iraq in which a British soldier was killed.

The Sun, Britain8217;s biggest-selling tabloid newspaper, said the video tape revealed the pilots, realising they had hit a convoy of British armoured vehicles, said 8220;God dammit8221; and 8220;We8217;re in jail, dude8221;.

Lance Corporal Matty Hull was killed near the southern Iraqi city of Basra in March 2003 when two US A-10 tankbusters twice fired on the British convoy.

The recording, extracts of which were played on BBC radio and Sky Television, showed how before firing the pilots discuss whether they can see orange panels 8212; designed to show allied planes a convoy is friendly 8212; on top of the armoured vehicles. They conclude the orange objects must be rocket launchers and attack the convoy.

The Ministry of Defence MoD said in a statement: 8220;This recording is the property of the United States government and the MoD does not have the right to release it without their permission.8221;

It also said a copy of the video was used as evidence by a British military board of inquiry BOI investigation.

8220;When the BOI findings were released to the family we did inform them that some classified material had been withheld, but we did not specify its exact nature. There has never been any intention to deliberately deceive or mislead Lance Corporal Hull8217;s family.8221;

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An inquest into Hull8217;s death was adjourned last week after the coroner said he had no choice but to delay his verdict until the recording of the incident was produced by the government.

David Johnson, deputy chief of mission at the US embassy in London, said Washington was reviewing whether the recording could be declassified.

8220;If indeed it can be declassified of course it will be,8221; he told BBC radio. 8220;There is a review going on to see if there is material in this clip that might put other forces at risk or which might disclose further classified information.8221;

Britain8217;s Foreign Secretary said on Tuesday London was working with the United States to get as much information this incident.

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8220;Obviously, both we and the U.S. are keen to understand what has happened here,8221; Margaret Beckett said during a visit to Jerusalem, after British media showed clips of a classified cockpit video recording from one of the U.S. warplanes involved.

Beckett said the relationship between Britain and the US 8212; often criticised at home because of Prime Minister Tony Blair8217;s support for the war in Iraq 8212; remained strong.