British troops 'beat Iraqi prisoner', claims soldier

Published on 19/02/2004 00:00

A BRITISH soldier claims he witnessed colleagues beating and kicking an Iraqi prisoner of war who later died, it was reported last night.

Fresh claims about the incident, already the subject of an inquiry by the Ministry of Defence, were reported in the Sun newspaper.

The soldier, who was not named, told the paper he witnessed brutal treatment meted out to nine Iraqis arrested as suspected bandits. He said the Iraqi who died was put into stress positions and dumped in a toilet, where he was later found dead.

Soldiers from the Queen’s Lancashire Regiment have been questioned since allegations emerged last week. The MoD said appropriate action would be taken against any soldier found to have acted unlawfully.