UK military families in court bid for Iraq inquiry

LONDON, Nov 6 (Reuters) Families of British soldiers killed in Iraq return to London's High Court today to press their case for an independent inquiry into Britain's involvement in the war.

Last week Prime Minister Tony Blair's Labour government defeated a parliamentary call for an immediate inquiry into its handling of the conflict.

However, Defence Secretary Des Browne said an investigation would eventually be carried out ''when the time is right''.

The families are appealing against a court refusal of their bid for an inquiry in November last year.

They were given permission for today's appeal in June, but were told by the court they faced ''formidable hurdles'' in winning their case.

''We all need to know why we were taken to war in the first place,'' said Rose Gentle, a member of the families campaign bringing the legal action and whose son Gordon was killed by a roadside bomb in Basra.

''I believe our prime minister lied to us and an inquiry would establish whether that was the case,'' she said.

Peter Brierley, whose son Shaun died in Iraq, said there was an overwhelming public desire for an inquiry.

''After the failure of parliament to consider even a limited investigation we hope that the legal system will address this legitimate public interest,'' he said.

Blair won parliamentary backing for war in Iraq just before the March 2003 invasion, despite a rebellion by about one in three Labour MPs.

Britain has already held four inquiries into events linked to the Iraq war.

A 2004 report cleared Blair of distorting intelligence assessments on Iraq but exposed faulty work.

A second report cleared Blair of blame for the suicide of an Iraq weapons expert. Parliament has held two further probes.

Reuters SBA VP0510