British troops face more allegations of abuse
The Ministry of Defence (MoD) has reaffirmed its determination to investigate all allegations of abuse by British troops in the wake of new claims of prisoner abuse in Iraq.
Two brothers, Marhab and As’ad Zaaj-al-Saghir, told Newsnight that they were beaten with sticks by British soldiers and denied water when their Basra home was raided in 2003.
They claim troops stole their family car and money, and Marhab Zaaj-al-Saghir told the BBC2 programme that a soldier urinated on his head.
“They lowered me down while I was tied up, threw me on the floor and hit me with a stick,” he claimed.
“You couldn’t draw breath afterwards and I lost consciousness. I thought they would throw water over us but he got his penis out and urinated on my head. If I’d had a weapon I’d have killed myself.”
However, the brothers have not made any official complaint about their treatment since they were released, without charge, from the Umm Qasr camp.
And a MoD spokeswoman told politics.co.uk that they could take no action until an incident was reported officially to them.
“We do have a robust system for investigating the death, injury of alleged mistreatment of detainees [in British care],” she said, but insisted action could only be taken once charges were made.
Last month, attorney general Lord Goldsmith announced 11 British soldiers would be brought before courts martial charged with the mistreatment of detainees in Iraq.
Defence secretary John Reid defended the decision to prosecute some of them with the war crime of inhuman treatment, saying it was vital for the reputation of the British armed forces that any allegations were dealt with properly.
“I, along with the chiefs of staff, am very proud of the role British armed forces play in the world. They do an exceptional job in very difficult circumstances and operate to the very highest standards, as the British public rightly expects,” he said.
“This is precisely why, if there are allegations that UK armed forces personnel have failed to maintain these high standards, they should be properly investigated and, if appropriate, prosecutions should be brought.”
