32 Cases of rape and torture by UK Troops to be inquired

Local Editor, 17-11-2009

Fresh testimonies that British soldiers abused Iraqi prisoners are to be investigated by the Ministry of Defense.

They include allegations of rape, torture, some by female British soldiers.

In a related development, Britain's only convicted war criminal spoke out accusing his superiors of regularly torturing and threatening civilian detainees in Iraq.

Former British officer Donald Payne stated that his commanding officers repeatedly tortured Iraqi prisoners to gather information.

Payne added he had witnessed Col Jorge Mendonca and a platoon commander, Lt Craig Rodgers, hitting a group of prisoners, cocking pistols at them and even threatening to burn them alive.
The ex-soldier's statement was made at a public inquiry into the killing of Iraqi hotel worker Baha Mousa while in British custody in 2003.

Mousa was found with 93 wounds on his body after being in detention for more than 36 hours in a temporary detention centre controlled by Payne.

Payne has also confessed to have used torture against Iraqi detainees while trying to please his 'gung ho, trigger happy' superiors and that other soldiers imitated him.

A court martial in March 2007 had cleared Payne and six other soldiers, including Col Mendonca, of all charges such as manslaughter and distorting the course of justice.

However, new inquiries have revealed that Payne and other witnesses had lied to the police to protect each other.

The new testimony follows new reports that British soldiers tortured Iraqi civilians.
Thirty two cases have been represented awaiting judicial review, yet hundreds more will remain buried forever especially as U.S. defence secretary blocked the publication of pictures showing abuse by American soldiers.