US:There was relief for Downing Street last night as Washington announced it would make the cockpit video of the "friendly fire" death of a British soldier available to an inquest sitting in camera.
However, that reluctant decision had appeared inevitable after the Sun newspaper released the videotape revealing six alleged crucial errors leading to the death of Lance Cpl Matty Hull when the US pilot of an A-10 Tankbuster mistakenly opened fire on a British convoy in Iraq in 2003.
US authorities agreed the cockpit video could be shown to the coroner and Lance Cpl Hull's family in the presence of an official from the British ministry of defence (Mod).
Washington has refused to send the pilots to Britain to testify, but Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman denied there had been any attempt to cover up the incident, adding that the US pilots were not disciplined because an internal investigation had cleared them of wrongdoing.
"The investigators determined that the pilots followed the procedures and processes for engaging targets," he said.
US state department spokesman Sean McCormack said transcripts of the incident showed that the pilots were remorseful.
"These people immediately understood that this just was a terrible, terrible mistake and they felt an immediate remorse for what happened," he said.
The US announcement did little to ease the embarrassment of either the Pentagon or the Mod, which had told Lance Cpl Hull's family that no such tape existed and subsequently admitted withholding some classified material while stressing there had been no intention to mislead or deceive.
The recording is said to reveal the pilot of one of the two jets involved in the attack on Lance Cpl Hull's convoy realising their tragic mistake, vomiting in the cockpit, and concluding: "We're in jail dude." The other pilot, who opened fire, replied: "God dammit. F*** me dead."
The officially classified "secret" tape had found its way unofficially into the hands of Oxford coroner Andrew Walker, who last week adjourned the inquest into Lance Cpl Hull's death in frustration at the failure of the Mod to obtain the permission of the US authorities to admit the tape in evidence.
Following yesterday's disclosure by the Sun, Mr Walker's clerk said the leaking of the tape had changed the situation and the material now in the public domain could be used in the inquest.
The pressure built during the day while US officials considered whether the tape could be declassified, at one point threatening another open rift in British prime minister Tony Blair's increasingly undisciplined cabinet.
Constitutional affairs minister and deputy leadership contender Harriet Harman demanded that all the information about the friendly fire incident be released. Ms Harman said people understood that, in armed conflict terrible accidents sometimes did happen.
However, she added: "What I think people do not understand or accept is the notion that the truth should not be revealed."
Liberal Democrat leader Menzies Campbell said it was "deeply disappointing" that Lance Cpl Hull's widow, Susan, had not been told about the tape and urged the government to "up its game" when handling the cases of bereaved families of soldiers.
"This is a real test for UK and US relations," he said, adding that it was essential that the tape be released and that the US pilots involved attend the inquest.
Late yesterday afternoon, following Mr Blair's meeting with the new commander of US troops in Iraq, Lieut Gen David Petraeus, the prime minister's spokesman signalled the US decision to authorise the release of the transcript and DVD for viewing by the coroner, but only in camera (in closed court).
Speaking before the decision was announced, Susan Hull welcomed the statement, indicating that Mr Walker intended to show the video when the inquest resumed.
She said: "The inquest is my one and only chance to hear how and why Matty died. I would have preferred to hear the evidence from the US pilots themselves. However, they cannot be compelled to come and they have not come voluntarily. The video is, therefore, vital evidence and must be shown."