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Journalism of Courage
British Prime Minister Tony Blair said on Saturday that abuse of Iraqi prisoners was ‘‘completely and totally unacceptable’’ after pictures were published showing British soldiers apparently urinating on a shackled prisoner of war.
Britain launched an inquiry after Saturday’s Daily Mirror newspaper published five black and white photographs of British troops it said were kicking, stamping and urinating on a hooded Iraqi in Basra, where Britain has around 7,500 soldiers. The images were published only days after pictures of US troops sexually abusing Iraqi prisoners provoked anger and dismay around the world.
‘‘Let me make it quite clear that if these things have actually been done, they are completely and totally unacceptable. We went to Iraq to get rid of that sort of thing, not to do it,’’ Blair told BBC television.
Britain’s top General, Sir Mike Jackson, ordered an inquiry. ‘‘If proven, not only is such appalling conduct clearly unlawful, it clearly contravenes the British Army’s high standards,’’ he said. ‘‘If proven the perpetrators are not fit to wear the Queen’s uniform. They have besmirched the good name of the Army and its honour.’’ Armed Forces Minister Adam Ingram called the pictures ‘‘truly appalling and despicable’’ if genuine.
The Daily Mirror said it obtained the photographs from two unnamed soldiers in the Queen’s Lancashire Regiment. The soldiers said the Iraqi man in the pictures had been detained on suspicion of stealing.
Human rights group Amnesty International said it had warned US and British authorities in Iraq that captives were being abused.
The British Army is already investigating eight soldiers accused of abusing Iraqi prisoners, and the US Army has brought criminal charges against six soldiers relating to abuses in 2003 on 20 detainees. —(Reuters)
