UK troops 'swapped abuse photos'

The allegations are made by two soldiers who gave the Daily Mirror pictures apparently showing UK troops abuse an Iraqi prisoner.

Army sources have raised doubts about whether the images are genuine.

But the two serving members of The Queen's Lancashire Regiment have stood by their story and say: "The Army knows a lot more has happened."

One said: "Maybe the officers don't know what is going on - but everybody else does. I have seen literally hundreds of pictures."

'Baton attack'

Doubts were cast over the weekend about photos published in Saturday's Mirror appearing to show a hooded man being struck with a rifle butt, urinated on and having a gun held to his head.

But the two soldiers who gave these images to the paper say they represent only the tip of the iceberg.

In Monday's Mirror the soldiers, who wish to remain anonymous, claim many pictures were destroyed in September when the troops' luggage was searched as they left Iraq.

They also detail other alleged incidents of brutality towards local people, including a baton attack which left a prisoner with a compound fracture to his arm.

A Ministry of Defence spokesman said the authorities were not aware of other photos of prisoners being mistreated or of a culture of trading pictures.

"If people have got evidence of such activity, then they should bring it to the attention of the Army authorities. We won't stand for activity like that," he said.

The MoD spokesman was unable to confirm reports the regiment was given a dressing down in their Cyprus base by a senior officer.

The Mirror's editor Piers Morgan earlier said the alleged abuse had been "common knowledge among disgusted British servicemen in Basra for months".

Suspicion

An investigation has already begun into the claims, also carried in the Mirror, that British troops assaulted the prisoner pictured in the paper, before throwing him from a lorry.

BBC defence correspondent Paul Adams said sources close to The Queen's Lancashire Regiment were suspicious about the authenticity of the photographs questioning whether the rifle, hats and truck pictured matched those issued to men in Iraq.

And they asked why there appeared to be no sign of sweat, dirt or injuries on the body of the alleged victim.

Colonel Bob Stewart, who commanded British forces in the Balkans, told BBC News Online he could not say whether the photos were genuine.

Foreign Secretary Jack Straw told BBC One's Breakfast with Frost programme: "There is a very high-level investigation taking place. The allegations are terrible."

Army spokesman Roger Goodwin, on behalf of the regiment, said: "Whether the soldiers involved in the alleged atrocities were members of the QLR needs to be established.

"There is no place in our regiment for individuals capable of such appalling and sickening behaviour."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/3679177.stm