The dad of a Solihull Red Cap massacred by a rampaging Iraqi mob is threatening legal action against the Ministry of Defence.
 Reg Keys, whose son Lance Corporal Thomas Keys (pictured) was gunned down with five other military policemen last June, has been an outspoken critic of the bungle that led to his son's death. Mr Keys and other families of the victims have already demanded a public inquiry in meetings with Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon. They are now investigating the possibility of suing the MoD for corporate manslaughter, claiming the deaths of the Red Caps were a result of avoidable army blunders. Mr Keys said: "I have made initial inquiries with a solicitor to see whether the Army are negligent in their duty of care and I am waiting for a response." The Red Caps, all serving with 156 Provost Company, were manning a small police station in the town of Al Majar Al Kabir, 120 miles north of Basra, when they were attacked on June 24 last year. Last month the Evening Mail revealed the failure of the Special Investigation Branch to arrest anyone for the murders and the likeli-hood the six men would not be awarded medals. Today, Mr Keys, whose son attended the Arden School in Knowle, claimed it was a patrol by British paratroopers that sparked the firefight. Mr Keys said the paras were warned by local militia to cease their patrol in Al Majar Al Kabir or risk coming under fire.
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"The paras were approached by the head of militia who advised them not to proceed with their patrol," said Mr Keys who now lives in Bala, Wales. "He said if they continued they were likely to come under fire. Their arrogance in proceeding resulted in a severe firefight. "They should have called the ops room, but instead they whipped up the town into a hotbed of hatred and our six lads caught the force of the mob's fury." However, an MoD spokeswoman said they have not had any notice of legal action, and added: "It is an ongoing investigation and it is inappropriate to comment at this time." | 
