Home>News Center>World
         
 

Blair vows probe of alleged abuse in Iraq
(AP)
Updated: 2006-02-13 09:21

Video images of British soldiers allegedly beating Iraqi youths with batons and fists were aired throughout the Middle East and Britain on Sunday, outraging locals and prompting British Prime Minister Tony Blair to promise a full investigation.

The tape was obtained by the News of the World tabloid newspaper from a whistleblower it did not identify. The footage purportedly shows a street confrontation in which Iraqi youths throw objects at British soldiers and then flee down the street. The cameraman provides narration and urges the soldiers on.

The soldiers apparently chase the Iraqis, catch at least three and drag them through a gate into a fenced area, according to the footage. The civilians are then pulled to the ground and beaten by at least five alleged British soldiers with batons and fists.

British Prime Minister Tony Blair, ponders during the media conference after the Progressive Government Summit at Didimala Game Lodge in Hammanskraal near Pretoria, South Africa, Sunday, Feb. 12, 2006.
British Prime Minister Tony Blair, ponders during the media conference after the Progressive Government Summit at Didimala Game Lodge in Hammanskraal near Pretoria, South Africa, Sunday, Feb. 12, 2006.[AP]
One of the civilians has his shirt ripped off.

The footage then shows what appears to be another group of soldiers dragging in another civilian and beating him with batons.

The newspaper claims the video was filmed in southern Iraq by a corporal two years ago.

The British government said military police were investigating.

"We take seriously any allegations of mistreatment and those will be investigated very fully indeed," Blair said in South Africa while attending a meeting of center-left politicians.

However, he added that "the overwhelming majority of British troops, in Iraq as elsewhere, behave properly, are doing a great job for our country and for the wider world."

"They deserve our fullest support in the work they are doing."

A Ministry of Defense spokesman, Brig. Martin Rutledge, said the images were "extremely disturbing and are the subject of an urgent Royal Military Police investigation."

Basra City Council chief Mohammed al-Abadi said local leaders wanted quick action taken on the investigation and an assurance that Iraqis will not be "humiliated further" by coalition forces.

"We condemn and denounce this criminal and brutal act. Iraqis don't deserve such treatment," al-Abadi said.

The News of the World said it had made exhaustive checks to confirm the authenticity of the latest video.

Arab satellite television stations, including Al-Jazeera and Al-Arabiya, replayed the footage throughout the day and juxtaposed the images alongside pictures from the Abu Ghraib prisoner abuse scandal.

Most of Britain's more than 8,000 troops in Iraq are based in Basra, Iraq's second-largest city, about 340 miles southeast of Baghdad.

"This is good proof of the violations of human rights being committed by British troops in Basra," said Akil al-Bahadily, an official from the Basra office of the radical Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr.

Basra resident Muhannad al-Moussaoui said, "We thank God that it comes from their own photography. Many consider the actions normal compared to what happens behind closed doors, which is greater."

A British military spokesman in Basra said the new abuse allegations involved only a small number of the more than 80,000 British personnel who have served in Iraq since the 2003 invasion.

"We condemn all acts of abuse and brutality," said Flight Lt. Chris Thomas, who declined to say which units were based in Basra two years ago. "We hope that the good relations that the Multi-National Forces have worked very hard to develop won't be adversely affected by this material."

Relations between British forces and some Iraqi political figures in Basra have come under strain recently, with some complaints about British detentions of local policemen linked to numerous kidnappings and killings, as well as British security control over Basra International Airport.

Photos of U.S. troops tormenting and humiliating prisoners at Abu Ghraib prison near Baghdad in 2003 caused worldwide revulsion, and there also have been allegations of abuse by British troops.

However, the Daily Mirror newspaper apologized in 2004 after acknowledging that photographs purportedly showing British soldiers abusing a hooded Iraqi had been faked.



WPP Winners Gallery 2006
Annual severe winter season drill in South Korea
Hot air balloons take to the sky in Pampanga
 
  Today's Top News     Top World News
 

Dependence on oil needs to be cut, says panel

 

   
 

China issues first guidelines on HIV

 

   
 

US VP accidentally shoots fellow hunter

 

   
 

Interest rate gap helps manage currency

 

   
 

Sharon in critical but stable condition

 

   
 

Love and noses: Here's looking at the new you

 

   
  Sharon in critical but stable condition
   
  Record-setting snow buries US Northeast
   
  US VP accidentally shoots fellow hunter
   
  Haitian official alleges vote manipulation
   
  Iran rejects charge of inflaming violence
   
  Al-Jaafari named to head new government
   
 
  Go to Another Section  
 
 
  Story Tools  
   
Manufacturers, Exporters, Wholesalers - Global trade starts here.
Advertisement
         
主站蜘蛛池模板: 99精品全国免费观看视频| 久久免费看视频| 真实的国产乱xxxx在线| 国产乱理伦片a级在线观看| 老司机精品视频在线| 国精品午夜福利视频不卡757| 一级毛片一级毛片一级级毛片| 日本人护士免费xxxx视频| 九九久久精品无码专区| 欧美人与zoxxxx另类| 亚洲欧美国产国产综合一区| 狠狠狠狼鲁欧美综合网免费| 内射干少妇亚洲69xxx| 美妇与子伦亲小说| 国产三级精品在线观看| 韩国无遮挡羞羞漫画| 国产成人精品午夜福利| 五月婷在线视频| 国产精品免费电影| 7777精品伊人久久久大香线蕉 | 老司机深夜福利影院| 国产偷亚洲偷欧美偷精品| 国产91精品在线| 国产无套中出学生姝| 亚洲最大激情中文字幕| 波多野结衣在线免费视频| 无码人妻精品一二三区免费| 免费大片av手机看片| 精品国产免费一区二区三区香蕉 | 一级黄色在线视频| 成人毛片在线视频| 中文字幕亚洲一区二区va在线| 日本一二三精品黑人区| 久久久无码人妻精品无码| 日韩人妻无码专区精品| 久久精品国产99精品最新| 晚上睡不着来b站一次看过瘾| 亚洲AV无码成人黄网站在线观看| 欧美a级成人淫片免费看| 亚洲乱码无限2021芒果| 欧产日产国产精品|