ANDRIA HALL, CNN ANCHOR: Nine weeks ago this weekend, the six- week-long Persian Gulf war ended. But for thousands of allied soldiers, it was only the beginning of their battle with then illness known as Gulf War syndrome. Now British veterans of that war with Iraq have joined their American comrades in demanding explanations. Ross Childs (ph) reports from London.</s>ROSS CHILDS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Gulf war veterans and their families marching through London. At the Senate hall (ph) in Whitehall, they marked the ninth the anniversary of the end of the Gulf war by laying a wreath in memory of the servicemen that they say have died because of so-called "Gulf War syndrome," a controversial illness that veterans say has cost 400 lives but which many scientists claim does not exist. At Downing Street, Julie Meens, whose husband Stephen (ph) died last April after years of illness following his return from the gulf, handed in a petition demanding a full public inquiry.</s>JULIE MEENS, WIDOW OF GULF WAR VETERAN: These guys went to war for this country, it's sovereignty, it's people and it's land. Let's pay them a little bit of respect and compliment and try to help them.</s>CHILDS: Many veterans have reported symptoms ranging from chest pains to arthritis since returning from the gulf. Some blame exposure to pesticides or a combination of vaccination s against biological weapons. But the government says a public inquiry would not help determine the cause of veterans' illnesses.</s>JOHN SPELLAR, BRITISH PARLIAMENT MEMBER: Well, I don't see that it would actually help us. I don't see that it would help the veterans, it help us to get to the bottom of the cause for these -- of these symptoms.</s>CHILDS: Officials at the Ministry of Defense say studies into the existence of Gulf War syndrome are ongoing. But Gulf War veterans and their families say nine years is long enough to wait for a full public inquiry into the condition. Ross Childs, ITN, Westminster.
British Veterans Demand Inquiry into Gulf War Syndrome