Soldiers may face trial over Iraqi man beaten to death

BRITISH soldiers who carried out “shameful” abuse of detainees in Iraq – during which one captive, Baha Mousa, died – could face a new prosecution after they were heavily criticised.

A public inquiry ruled that troops from the Queen’s Lancashire Regiment had overseen an “appalling episode of serious gratuitous violence”, adding that several officers must have been aware of what was happening.

In a high-profile court martial in 2006-7, all but one of seven soldiers tried, including their former commanding officer, were cleared of allegations relating to the mistreatment of detainees.

Yesterday’s report from Sir William Gage said the idea that the events were a “one-off” was hard to believe because there was evidence that troops from the same regiment had carried out abuse on other occasions.

He also criticised the Ministry of Defence for “corporate failure” after pre-interrogation “conditioning” techniques banned by the UK in 1972 were used by soldiers in Iraq.

The report recalled how one solider violently assaulted 26-year-old Mr Mousa, punching and possibly kicking him minutes before he died.