‘On the morning of the 25th of July 2016, Kareem left Mosul in an unmarked car – a Mercedes SUV – driven by an ISIL driver and accompanied by an ISIL guard. What followed was, I’m afraid, a misunderstanding. Our American colleagues, unbeknown to us, had been tracking the man believed to be ISIL’s second-in-command in Raqqa, who goes by the name of Mohammad Kalkani. This man had been previously identified as travelling in this particular car. When it was seen leaving Mosul, setting out west, an assumption was made that this key ISIL figure was heading for Raqqa in Syria. It’s a journey that begins on the same exit road from Mosul as the route to the Turkish border point on the Syria frontier which Kareem was being taken to.’ She paused, a sadness clouding her stark face. Though Patrick and Sara anticipated what was coming, they gave no reaction, allowing her to close the loop. ‘The driver’s face had been captured in reasonably high resolution. It confirmed that he was the ISIL leader’s usual driver. Neither the passenger nor the guard had been caught on camera. After further confirmation of the car’s identity, a decision was made to take it out with a missile from an MQ-9 Reaper drone. That operation was carried out to perfection.’

Though no tear was visible, she wiped both eyes with a handkerchief. The room fell silent, interrupted only by the muffled burst of a mechanical digger and distant shouts from workmen. Subconsciously attracted by them, Patrick walked over to a window and stared out. Sara stayed in her seat, watching Dame Isobel’s moment of grief.

‘I’m sorry,’ Sara murmured, wanting Patrick not to hear.

Patrick rejoined them. ‘If the Americans had taken out such a major target, they’d have announced it. At least let it be known.’

‘They did,’ said Isobel. ‘I’m sure your excellent archivist,’ she failed fully to curb the irony, ‘will have the reports to hand.’

‘They didn’t correct the identity of the target.’

‘What would have been the point? Owning up to the biggest intelligence own goal of the decade,’ she said bitterly. ‘I understood. Far better to claim the triumph and celebrate.’

‘And when Kareem failed to return?’

‘Oh, he’d hardly have been the first “jihadist” to venture into the war zone and go missing.’

‘Quite,’ said Patrick. ‘Some of them by his own hand, as we understand it.’

‘You’re straying, Patrick,’ she said icily. ‘This is not the forum. I came here only to try to help you both,’ she said, addressing herself to Sara.

She accepted the olive branch. ‘We appreciate that.’

‘I believe that Kareem was – became – a good person. It would be unfair to besmirch his reputation either in the public sessions of this Inquiry or in camera.’ She paused and looked from one to the other. ‘Particularly as he is no longer here to defend himself.’