UK Troops in Iraq Recorded Images of Torture «Just for Fun»

Following the torture of American soldiers in Abu Ghraib prison, the British press revealed more footage of torture in Iraq.

The weekly British newspaper, the News of the World, published pictures revealing British troops abusing defenseless teenagers in the street.

Soldiers are shown beating the teens with batons and kicking a dead Iraqi in the face. The Ministry of Defense immediately launched an investigation into the soldiers involved in the incident.

The News of the World published pictures of members of the British military torturing defenseless Iraqi civilians.

The paper ran the headline, "Shame of 42 brainless blows" and broadcast the video images on its Internet site. In the video "filmed for fun" recorded by a corporal in 2004 the film shows a disturbance in the street outside a military compound. Soldiers are shown chasing Iraqi civilians, beating them with clubs and kicking them in the genitals. A soldier could also be seen kicking a dead Iraqi in the face. The person filming the video insults the Iraqi youngsters, and says "Oh yes! Oh yes! You're gonna get it. Yes, naughty little boys!"

The video recording shows a shocking 42 blows in just 60 seconds and the cameraman laughing and egging the soldiers on.

The informant who released the video to the paper said: "These Iraqis were just kids. Most don’t even have shoes on."

In the images, the British soldiers harshly ridicule these youngsters.

Torture scandals in Iraq are not new. The abuse American soldiers exerted on Iraqi prisoners in the Abu Ghraib prison under the control of the Pentagon had earlier topped the world's agenda. Because of the scandalous pictures that caused widespread reaction, US President George W. Bush had said he was "sorry" to the Iraqi prisoners' being humiliated by the US soldiers.

The British defend Military

The British Defense Ministry launched an inquiry after the scandal broke out.

British Prime Minister Tony Blair said Sunday in a statement from South Africa that the government takes such incidents seriously and that it will conduct a thorough investigation. "Most British troops in Iraq behave properly and are doing a great job for Britain and the whole world."

The BBC quoted Gordon Brown, British finance secretary, as saying that the claims against the British troops, who are undertaking difficult responsibilities, cannot be compared with their achievements.

Flight Lieutenant Chris Thomas, a British military spokesman, said all the contributions the British military has made, along with the troops of other nations, will not be negatively affected. Thomas also said in statement from Basra that around 80,000 soldiers in Iraq will not easily be swayed by what a very small number of troops did in Iraq. The pictures are really disgusting, said Home Secretary of State Andy Burnham, and that it is good news that a full probe into the incident will be launched.

British Chief of General Staff Sir Mike Jackson said such episodes can do serious harm to the British army's reputation, but it would be to the detriment of the British military to conceal such accidents. Sir Jackson ordered an investigation last year into accusations against three British soldiers for torturing prisoners.

By Foreign News Desk, Istanbul