The US military is beginning its argument for why Army Private Bradley Manning should be court-martialled.

The former head of Garda intelligence told a court today that he would have arrested former IRA leader Brendan 'Bik' Mc Farlanefor the kidnap of supermarket executive Don Tidey if had come face to face with him.

A female soldier in the Army’s 320th Military Police Battalion took “vigilante justice” on Iraqi prisoners who she believed had raped Army Private Jessica Lynch, according to a letter from the battalion’s commander.

Just one day after the NBC television network announced the cast for its film about the ordeal of Army Private Jessica Lynch, Lynch has withdrawn her co-operation.