Murder charge Brit faces Iraq trial

Nov 15 2009

The trial of a Briton accused of shooting dead two men is expected to begin in Iraq.

Danny Fitzsimons, 33, from Rochdale, is due to appear before an Iraqi court on Sunday accused of killing Paul McGuigan, 37, originally from Peebles in Scotland, and Australian Darren Hoare, 37, in Baghdad's Green Zone on August 9.

All three men worked as private security guards for British security firm ArmorGroup.

If convicted, Fitzsimons could face the death penalty under Iraqi law.

On Saturday, his supporters held a public meeting calling for him to be brought back to the UK for a "fair trial".

His stepmother Liz Fitzsimons said: "We want Danny to have a fair trial and we don't believe he'll get a fair trial out there in Iraq, so we want him brought back here."

Local Labour MP Jim Dobbin said: "The possibility of a death sentence means that this Government, which is against capital punishment, will intervene - there's no doubt about that."

However, a spokesman for the Foreign Office said it does expect the trial to go ahead.

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