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UK denies systematic abuse in Iraq

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

London, Oct 23, IRNA
UK Troops-Iraq Abuse
Defence Secretary Des Browne Tuesday denied that there had by a "systematic" abuse of prisoners by British troops occupying southern Iraq.

"Where service personnel are accused of wrongdoing, the allegations are fully investigated and, where appropriate, prosecutions are brought," Browne said.

In a letter to the Guardian newspaper, he referred to legal action currently being taken over allegations that 22 Iraqi soldiers were tortured and killed by British troops after an insurgent ambush incident on the road between Amarrah and Basra in May 2004.

"In the case of the incident in Amarrah, no evidence was found of any systematic or deliberate mutilation. All the injuries were found to be consistent with battlefield injuries," the defence secretary insisted.

His denial follows a similar refutation by the Ministry of Defence last week, but which also said that "it is possible that some damage to the bodies may have occurred during their removal from the battlefield."

Human rights lawyer Phil Shiner, which acting for families of Iraqi soldiers captured after the ambush, which took place just north Majar al-Kabir, there was evidence of "a catalogue of abuse" and "clear evidence of torture."

But Browne said that he did "not for one moment accept Phil Shiner's allegations," including "a systematic policy" leading to "scores" of executions and "the torture of countless more" by British forces in Iraq.

In an article for the Guardian last Friday, the human rights lawyer said that "the starting point in understanding what we have to confront is the repeated accusation from the most senior military figures that Britain failed to plan for the occupation."

"It was assumed that the United Nations would be responsible because the security council would authorize military invasion and occupation in early 2003. When it refused, the US and UK invaded illegally and found themselves with no plan for occupation," he said.

Shiner criticized Britain's detention policy in Iraq that included the reintroduction of the five techniques banned by the UK in 1972:

hooding, stressing, sleep and food deprivation, and noise, which he said were a direct breach of the Geneva conventions.

"What we did in Iraq is no more than what we have always done in times of conflict, and that an arrogant, brutal racism that harks back to colonial times requires urgent exorcism," he said.

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