4th UK soldier tells of abuse

2004-05-08 13:33

London - A fourth British soldier has come forward to tell of regular abuse of Iraqi prisoners and of "trophy photographs" taken of the beatings meted out, the Daily Mirror reported on Saturday.

The tabloid, which began publishing a series of allegations with pictures a week ago, said "soldier D" acknowledged taking part in the beatings for fear of being ostracised, and was too frightened to tell his story to military police.

It carried a front-page picture allegedly provided by the soldier from the Queen's Lancashire regiment - the one at the centre of the allegations - showing a soldier photographing a bound captive with bloodied teeth in the back of an armoured personnel carrier.

Soldier D told the Mirror: "There are no rules out there. I saw the man dragged into the vehicle, beaten up, kicked and punched. It lasted about a minute.

Orders issued to get rid of the pictures

"I took the picture as I opened the doors of the vehicle and could see dirt on his shirt and blood on his teeth," he added.

The unnamed man said his fellow soldiers took photos and video footage to look tough and prove to friends at home what had happened. He added orders had been issued to get rid of the pictures.

Soldier D, who is still with the regiment, told the Mirror he had been "no angel", saying he had taken part in the brutality.

Doubt has been cast on the authenticity of photographs published by the Mirror, some experts pointing to anomalies in the equipment of the soldiers depicted.

But Mirror editor Piers Morgan is standing by allegations of widespread abuse and torture by British forces in southern Iraq, calling the published revelations "the tip of the iceberg". - Sapa-dpa

- SAPA