EAST Lancashire MP Gordon Prentice has expressed his sympathy with a Nelson man who has become the first British soldier to be charged with the murder of an Iraqi.

And the Pendle MP promised to do all he could to help the family ensure that justice is done to 21-year-old Kevin Lee Williams, of Cravendale Avenue.

Williams, of the Second Royal Tank Regiment, appeared at Bow Street Magistrates Court in Central London last week accused of murdering father-of-nine Hassan Said, an Iraqi civilian, on or before August 3, 2003, in Ad Dayr near the southern city of Basra in the British controlled area of Iraq.

Mr Said is believed to have been shot during an attempt to arrest him and Williams has been bailed into Army custody until September 28.

Labour back bencher Mr Prentice, who opposed the war in Iraq, said: "My first reaction when I heard of this was what a terribly difficult job we ask of our Services.

"There are rules which they have to obey which are set out on the card given to all of them.

"But it must be terribly difficult for young soldiers when the bullets are flying. The pressure is tremendous.

"I think the implications of this prosecution are very, very serious.

"We need to know why the Attorney-General decided to press ahead with this prosecution and over-rule the decision of Mr Williams' Commander-in-Chief.

"We could end up with the position where young people won't join the Army for fear of this happening.

"I don't have all the facts at my fingertips and I shall be looking into the issue as a matter or urgency.

"I haven't spoken to the family but I am very happy to take up the issues involved if they wish to contact me.

"I am determined to see that justice is done to my constituent and also to the dead Iraqi.

"When I know more and at the appropriate time I shall take up the issue with the Secretary of State for Defence.

"This has huge implications for British servicemen who find themselves in a war situation.

"The pressure on them is absolutely incredible and we need to make sure that they know exactly what the situation is.

"My position on the war is well known. I opposed it and I never thought Saddam Hussain had weapons of mass destruction.

"We have had two reports -- the Hutton report into Doctor David Kelly's death and the Butler report into intelligence failings -- which confirm this.

"Now apparently the Iraq Survey Group will confirm that there were no WMD. This raises serious questions over the way Tony Blair and Number 10 took us to war."