Former Plymouth MP given two weeks to give names to Afghanistan inquiry - or face jail
Johnny Mercer says 'I have done nothing wrong'
Former Plymouth MP Johnny Mercer could face jail unless he submits names of people who told him about about alleged murders in Afghanistan to inquiry.
He's been given two weeks to comply with the order from the Independent Inquiry into Afghanistan.
The former MP for Plymouth Moor View and Veterans' Minister has always refused to give the names of people who told him about the alleged killings by UK troops to the Independent Inquiry Into Afghanistan.
The inquiry has asked him several times, but he's said he doesn't have the permission of his sources.
He's now got until 4pm on the 25th of July to comply - an inquiry spokesman says, “Mr Mercer is refusing to disclose information which may be important to a public inquiry which is seeking to establish the truth about grave allegations of multiple murder involving UK Special Forces.
“Mr Mercer accepts the Inquiry has secure measures in place to protect the names and identities of his sources and that witnesses coming forward to the Inquiry have protection from risk of prosecution for breaches of the Official Secrets Act or for failure to report misconduct.
"I gave my word...I intend to keep it"
“The Chair has given Mr Mercer a further two weeks to comply with the s.21 Notice. The Chairs concluding observations were that 'Integrity requires moral courage to do what is right, even when it may not be popular'."
In response, Johnny Mercer's given a statement saying, "I find it extraordinary - given my unprecedented support to assist the inquiry, including some names of those who have given me consent - that Mr Haddon-Cave considers it appropriate to repeatedly question my moral courage and integrity in public".
"Mr Haddon-Cave must now stop fixating on attempting to bully me - I have done nothing wrong," he said.
"I gave my word to junior personnel who approached me. I intend to keep it."