LEGAL AID: Ex-Royal Engineer Alex Izzet has now secured legal aid [PH]
Gulf jabs triumph for sick squaddie - Big step forward for Alex Izzet in vaccine battle
AN ex-soldier has won a major victory in his fight to prove that crippling Gulf War syndrome exists.
By Andy Gardner/Published 4th May 2014
LEGAL AID: Ex-Royal Engineer Alex Izzet has now secured legal aid [PH]
Former Royal Engineer Alex Izzet, 40, has secured legal aid and will now try to gain access to secret Government documents.
He is demanding the Ministry of Defence provide his legal team with all papers linked to the condition.
The Government has never officially admitted the illness exists and blames the symptoms on other factors linked to the fight to oust Iraqi forces from Kuwait in 1991.
Dad-of-two Alex, right, is unique as he was given a cocktail of vaccines but did not go the Middle East to fight.
He was granted legal aid because he was never exposed to dangers such as pesticides, burning oil wells, chemical dumps and diesel fumes which the MoD thinks could be behind the condition.
“I have attempted suicide on a number of occasions and have lashed out at both strangers and those I love.”--Alex Izzet
Alex blames the vaccines, particularly anthrax and whooping cough, for his stomach pains, osteoporosis, nerve problems, depression and fatigue.
He said: “I have depression, physical and mental pain and have seen my life fall apart as a result of my illness.
“I have attempted suicide on a number of occasions and have lashed out at both strangers and those I love.
“I attribute this as being a condition of my Gulf War syndrome caused by defective vaccinations.
“I hope having clarification of this matter will allow many thousands of people to live their lives a bit easier.” Lawyers are drawing up a list of MoD documents they want and will ask for them within months.
They relate to what the MoD knew about potential health hazards and whether soldiers were told.
If the MoD refuses to hand them over, the case will go to the High Court in London. A judge has the power to order Whitehall to give up the documents.
The Scot, who now lives in Germany, believes the MoD is guilty of a cover-up. His lawyers have uncovered letters that appear to show the MoD knew of health warnings but ignored them.
The documents, written before the first Gulf War started, highlight the risks of mixing vaccines.
In one, the head of the National Institute for Biological Standards tells an MoD scientist of experiments on lab rats.
It refers to the effects of mixing anthrax and whooping cough vaccines and states: “When each of the two vaccines were treated alone they were not associated with any unusual degree of toxicity. However, when combined there was evidence of severe loss of condition and weight loss.”
Campaigners claim the syndrome has affected some 9,000 British veterans, causing around 600 deaths, including 200 suicides. Phil Shiner, of Birmingham-based Public Interest Lawyers, said: “I’m delighted Alex has been granted legal aid.”
The MoD said: “All documents relating to these allegations have been in the public domain for many years and despite repeatedly asking for further evidence we have received nothing to support these unfounded allegations.”