The Pentagon reportedly ceded to the demands of a UK coroner today and agreed to declassify a cockpit video of two American pilots killing a British soldier in a 'friendly fire' incident in Iraq four years ago.

But the move, announced by Tony Blair's official spokesman, was not confirmed by the Pentagon and only came after Britain's biggest-selling newspaper got hold of the video and published it on its website.

Andrew Walker, the Oxfordshire deputy coroner, had said he would be unable to conclude the inquest into the death of Lance-Corporal of Horse Matty Hull, who was killed in 2003, without being able to show to the inquest the dramatic cockpit video which reveals how the accident took place.

The US Government had previously classified the video as secret, so the Ministry of Defence refused to release it.

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BACKGROUND

• ‘Friendly-fire’ inquest delay over missing US evidence

• Soldiers ‘tried frantically to stop US fire’

• Tankbusting technology better, but friendly fire deaths will continue

Related Internet Links

• Cockpit video: friendly fire killing of soldier Matty Hull

Related Links

• Transcript and video: US friendly fire killing of British soldier

• Better systems should mean end to friendly fire deaths

• Timeline: killing of Lance Corporal Matty Hull

However, this afternoon, the Prime Minister's official spokesman told a briefing of journalists that the US had agreed to officially declassify the video. "The latest statement from the US is that it believes it can now make this material available to the inquest," he said. A spokesman at the Pentagon, however, said that the Department of Defence would make no immediate comment on the matter.

The latest development came after The Sun newspaper this morning published details of the recording of the attack by two American A-10 tankbuster planes, which took place in Basra on March 28, 2003, at the very start of the Iraq War.

The apparent American U-turn was partly caused by pressure from Mr Walker who said that, since The Sun had released it into the public domain, he would show the recording regardless of whether the US declassified it, a position backed by Lance-Corporal Hull's widow, Susan.

"Mr Walker (the deputy coroner) has indicated to me that, now the information is in the public domain, he can use it in the inquest, which can now be completed," Geoff Webb, the coroner's officer, said.

The inquest - which was halted last Friday because the video was regarded as a piece of vital evidence - is due to re-start on March 12 .

The dramatic video reveals the moment that US pilots suddenly discovered their mistake. One was quoted as saying: "God dammit! We're in jail, dude". At another point one of them says that he is about to be sick.

Susan Hull, Lance Corporal Hull's widow, welcomed the move, saying it was "vital evidence and must be shown".

"The inquest is my one and only chance to hear how and why Matty died," she said, in a statement issued through her lawyer.

"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. I do not relish hearing it in open court but after years of being told that it did not exist or was secret I feel that it was right not to give up hope."

The footage reveals a total of six errors before and during the attack, The Sun claimed. They include poor communication with the Forward Air Controller, a misjudgement of the vehicles’ identifications markings and confusion with artillery on the ground.

The British troops were in an area where US aircraft should not have been operating. They were displaying orange overhead identification panels, thermal reflectors and British flags.

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