LONDON, Dec 20: The families of British military personnel killed in Iraq lost a bid on Tuesday to challenge the government’s refusal to hold a full public inquiry into why Britain helped invade the country.

The judge, Justice Collins, ruled at London’s High Court that the case was not arguable and blocked a full hearing.

Despite the decision, it is still possible for the relatives to renew their application for the inquiry in the higher Court of Appeal.

The families want Prime Minister Tony Blair to be held accountable if there was no legal basis for the March 2003 conflict in Iraq and its aftermath in which 98 British service personnel have died to date.

Of the deaths, 75 were because of hostile action.

At a recent hearing, Rabinder Singh, the families’ lawyer, told the judge an ‘effective, independent public inquiry’ was needed to discover the truth.

The relatives wanted the High Court to rule that the government’s refusal to do so violated the right to life guaranteed under the European Convention on Human Rights.

Singh said Article 2 of the convention obliged countries to conduct a proper, adequate investigation when lives were lost.

That obligation could only be disregarded in relation to Iraq if the war was lawful under international and domestic law.

—AFP