UK troops accused of human rights abuse
2013-01-29 21:01
London - Claims that British troops committed systematic
human rights violations in Iraq were taken on Tuesday to London's High Court,
where lawyers pushed for a public inquiry into the alleged abuses.
Allegations that British interrogators were guilty of
unlawful killings and torture between 2003 and 2009 were put before judges in
an 82-page document, with soldiers accused of "terrifying acts of
brutality".
Britain's Ministry of Defence (MoD) has set up a body,
called the Iraq Historic Allegations Team (IHAT), to investigate the claims.
But Public Interest Lawyers, the firm representing the
192 Iraqis, claims IHAT is not sufficiently independent and is using the
three-day hearing to push for a public inquiry.
The MoD argues a public inquiry would be "premature
and disproportionate".
Michael Fordham QC, representing the Iraqis, told the
court: "Enough is enough. There must be a public inquiry in relation to
the credible and prima facie cases of human rights violations perpetrated by
the British military in Iraq from 2003-2009."
He said the IHAT panel, which included members of the
Royal Navy Police, failed to meet "the relevant standard of
independence".
The lawyer said it was necessary for "somebody
independent to grasp this nettle and pursue the truth of what happened, and its
implications, compatibly with the rule of law".
The case is likely to be the tip of the iceberg with
lawyers saying another 800 other claims of violations will be made.
The MoD says it has already settled 227 claims with
compensation payouts totalling $23.7m.
An MoD spokesperson said: "The establishment now of
a wide-ranging public inquiry to consider alleged systemic issues would be
premature and disproportionate.
"It is also likely that any single public inquiry
would take much longer than the investigations already being undertaken."
She said the MoD was awaiting the outcome of the IHAT
investigations and would respond in due course, adding: "The MoD takes all
allegations of abuse seriously which is precisely why we set up the Iraq
Historic Allegations Team to ensure that all allegations are, or have been,
investigated appropriately."
- SAPA
