British Army will not tolerate prisoner abuse, says Sir Mike

Wednesday, 19 January 2005 12:00 AM

Chief of the General Staff Sir Mike Jackson has said the British army "condemn utterly" any acts of abuse against prisoners in Iraq.

His comments came after the first day of a court martial in which three Royal Regiment of Fusiliers soldiers are facing nine charges of abusing Iraqi detainees at a camp in Basra.

Photographs released to the media by the court martial show prisoners tied up on the floor and one being lifted up by a forklift truck.

One picture shows two naked Iraqi men simulating a sex act and posing for the cameras with their thumbs up.

Sir Mike, the head of the army, said any allegations of abuse were "immediately investigated" by the service police and, where necessary, prosecuted by the independent Service Prosecuting Authorities.

"We condemn utterly all acts of abuse. Where there is evidence of abuse, this is immediately investigated," he said in a statement.

He added: "I have every confidence in the military investigative and judicial system."

Sir Mike stressed that "only a very small number" of the 65,000 servicemen who have served in Iraq since the US-led attack on the country faced allegations of abuse.

While he said he was unable to comment on the photographs as they are part of legal proceedings, he added: "We have always taken abuse allegations seriously throughout.

"We will of course study the outcome of this court martial, and consider whether it raises any new issues for the army."

Meanwhile, politicians have warned that British troops in Iraq could face a backlash as a result of the allegations, which come hot on the heels of the conviction of a US soldier for abuse in the Abu Ghraib prison.

"The task of British forces in the difficult and sensitive run-up to the election on January 30th will be made more difficult by the publication of these photographs," said Liberal Democrat deputy leader Sir Menzies Campbell.

"These pictures will inevitably open old wounds and be part of drawing parallels with Abu Ghraib."

Conservative Shadow Defence Minister Keith Simpson said he was "horrified" by the images and said the vast majority of the British military would "realise the impact in Iraq".

Tags: