Brit Soldier's Family: He Was Not Executed
The family of one of two British soldiers reported missing, presumed dead, do not believe government claims he had been executed by Iraqi troops.Sapper Luke Allsopp, 24, from Dagenham, Essex, was last seen on Sunday when he and Staff Sergeant Simon Cullingworth, 36, were caught up in enemy fire at Al Zubayr, near Basra.The bodies of what were said to be two dead British servicemen near their upturned Land Rover were later shown on television by the Qatar-based satellite broadcaster al-Jazeera, prompting condemnation from coalition commanders and politicians.

Although admitting there was not conclusive proof how the pair died, Prime Minister Tony Blair's official spokesman insisted the premier had been right to say the two Royal Engineer bomb disposal experts had been executed.

But Sapper Allsopp's sister Nina, 29, and Iraqi authorities said the claims were "lies".

She told the Daily Mirror that senior officers from her brother's barracks, in Wimbish, Essex, informed the family he had been killed instantly in battle.

"It makes a big difference to use knowing that he died quickly," she told the newspaper.

"We can't understand why people are lying about what happened. It must be a mistake. It's important to us that people know the truth, that people know what really happened."

According to reports, Sapper Allsopp has a long-term girlfriend, Katy, who is being comforted by family and friends.

Staff Sgt Cullingworth has been married to wife Allison for almost 10 years. They have two young sons, James, nine, and Jack, three.

The Iraqi information minister Mohammad Saeed al-Sahafin told Abu Dhabi television that Mr Blair had "lied to the public" by saying it was likely the two soldiers had been killed in "a very brutal fashion".

Sapper Allsopp and Sgt Cullingworth's deaths brings the British war dead to 22, four in combat and 18 in accidents or by so-called "friendly fire".