Human rights investigationsUnder pressure from ongoing investigations by Human Rights Investigations, Patria, the Finnish arms company, have released a press release this morning (7th July 2011): Patria’s mortar systems have not been used to fire cluster ammunition in Libya During the last weeks Patria has been increasingly contacted about the possibility that Patria’s Nemo 120 mm mortar system or […]
Last week CJ Chivers introduced us to the “short stub case.” His argument was that to be used in a breech-loaded mortar system (such as the AMOS or NEMO) a ‘short stub case’ is needed. Since no short stub cases were found in Misrata a breech-loaded system couldn’t have fired the shells. The trouble with this argument is explained in […]
Under pressure from a Human Rights Investigations probe into cluster bombs, the usually secretive Spanish government has released some limited information regarding their exports of cluster bombs. Spanish government information shows 2,271 MAT-120s were stockpiled on 2 December 2008 and 1,852 were destroyed by the end of 2008 with 419 retained. Latest Spanish Government Claims According […]
The New York Times have published unsupported allegations that this blog is being funded by Qaddafi. The allegation was made in a 3800 word article regarding the ongoing HRI investigation into the facts around the bombing of Misrata, the arms trade and the involvement of US and Spanish officials. On 23rd April 2011 the New York Times published the allegation by […]
As regular readers will know, HRI has been investigating the sordid world of the Spanish cluster bomb industry. Now Spanish officials (not known for releasing specific information about arms exports) have reportedly claimed the cluster bombs found in Misrata, (type MAT-120 made by Instalaza) were never exported to the USA. However, they refuse to provide the actual evidence, documents, […]
Little is known about the secretive (and now largely outsourced) Spanish cluster bomb industry – until its products turn up in foreign lands. Spain has signed up to, but not yet implemented into domestic legislation, the Convention on Cluster Munitions. It is time Spain implemented the legislation and also provided full transparency about its past activities, […]
CJ Chivers of the New York Times and to a very limited extent Human Rights Watch (HRW) are now seriously engaging with the Human Rights Investigations probe into the cluster bombing of Misrata. The first indication from HRW (after weeks of trying to elicit a direct response) was a tweet from the Mary Wareham: Will […]
Extracts from the Report of the International Commission of Inquiry to investigate all alleged violations of international human rights law in the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya directly relevant to the use of cluster munitions in Libya: With regard to the use of weaponry, the commission is concerned that the Libyan authorities have not been making appropriate and […]
Admiral James Stavridis and Misrata Admiral James G Stavridis, NATO Supreme Commander Europe, tops the military command structure with regard to the coalition operation in Misrata. As we have stated before his job encompasses the war on the land, air, on the sea and also the ‘information war’ and in his words: “We sail in a cyber-sea and […]
On this page, HRI presents some of the evidence relevant to the use of cluster munitions in Misrata in April 2011. As more information comes to light, and in response to the requirements of the on-going investigation, this page is updated on a fairly regular basis. Unlike those who jump to instant conclusions based on propaganda and partial truths, HRI is sceptical and […]
Human rights investigations 