Eight men are expected to stand trial in Iraq over the notorious mob killing of six Royal Military Police officers in June 2003, the Ministry of Defence said today.

A spokesman warned, however, that it was unclear when a court date would be set as Iraqi investigations were still ongoing and no formal charges had been made.

“The case is now at the investigative stage where the judge reviews the evidence. He has indicated that eight suspects now in custody will go to trial.” he said.

“We are assisting the Iraqi Government in every way possible to secure convictions, including access to UK investigative materials and expertise.”

A further three suspects, also arrested in connection with the killings, have been released due to a lack of evidence or mistaken identity.

The judge made his comments at the end of last year but they only came to light today.

The six Royal Military Police “Red Caps”, led by Sergeant Simon Hamilton-Jewell, 41, died under a hail of bullets during a riot of up to 500 Iraqis in the town of al-Majar al- Kabir, north of Basra, the main city in southern Iraq.

The men, members of C Section 1 Platoon 156 Provost Company Royal Military Police, were on a routine mission to visit an Iraqi police station.

Also killed in the violence was Corporal Russell Aston, 30, Corporal Paul Long, 24, Corporal Simon Miller, 21, Lance Corporal Benjamin Hyde, 23, and Lance Corporal Thomas Keys, 20, attached to the 1 Para battle group.

Four years ago, a British coroner recorded a verdict of unlawful killing, but said that the military policemen had embarked on their mission without a single satellite phone and no one at their base knew whether they were safe.