In response to the humanitarian need and to protect evidence, forensic scientists began work in Iraq while hostilities were still continuing. With two days preparation Inforce personnel flew to Baghdad in May 2003. The team, led by Professor Margaret Cox, included 8 forensic scientists covering archaeology, anthropology, crime scene investigation, geophysics, surveying, and photography.
Over a six week period, Inforce worked at over 15 suspected mass grave sites, including Hilla and Musayib, south-west of Baghdad, in order to assess the situation and advise the local community leaders. The team was always received warmly and had many requests for assistance. Given the scale of their loss, the team admired the communities’ will and their effectiveness in responding to a long awaited opportunity to recover the remains of their loved ones. The Inforce team was impressed by what they have seen of the way in which local communities had taken control recovering their dead and creating memorials.
However, in order to recover all available evidence communities need advice, assistance and training. Inforce can help with this process. Without skilled assistance much evidence is, unfortunately, not recovered. At one site the Inforce team spent two hours in a grave that the locals had dug and revealed the remains of six more individuals. With assistance and training more human remains will be recovered and identified and many more families can be reunited with their dead.
As well as this important humanitarian work we supported the authorities in providing informed forensic input into the development of policy recommendations designed to provide a structured international response to the mass graves legacy. This advice covers the recovery of evidence of the highest standard to be used in courts and developing an Iraqi owned and led capacity to take control of the mass graves that the new Iraq inherits.
As a direct result of this mission, a second Inforce team was send out to Iraq and Inforce conducted three training programmes for Iraqi scientists, scene of crime officers and criminal investigators (see other project histories). Inforce is still advising the Iraqi government on forensic issues.
In response to the humanitarian need and to protect evidence, forensic scientists began work in Iraq while hostilities were still continuing. With two days preparation Inforce personnel flew to Baghdad in May 2003. The team, led by Professor Margaret Cox, included 8 forensic scientists covering archaeology, anthropology, crime scene investigation, geophysics, surveying, and photography.
was always received warmly and had many requests for assistance. Given the scale of their loss, the team admired the communities’ will and their effectiveness in responding to a long awaited opportunity to recover the remains of their loved ones. The Inforce team was impressed by what they have seen of the way in which local communities had taken control recovering their dead and creating memorials.
recovered. At one site the Inforce team spent two hours in a grave that the locals had dug and revealed the remains of six more individuals. With assistance and training more human remains will be recovered and identified and many more families can be reunited with their dead.
evidence of the highest standard to be used in courts and developing an Iraqi owned and led capacity to take control of the mass graves that the new Iraq inherits.