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Chief of the General Staff responds to Iraq abuse allegations

 

A Court-Martial in Osnabruck, Germany has heard allegations of abuse by British soldiers against Iraqi detainees in Basra in May 2003. Photographs of the alleged abuse have been released by the Court-Martial and following their publication, the Chief of the General Staff, General Sir Mike Jackson, said:

“We condemn utterly all acts of abuse. Where there is evidence of abuse this is investigated immediately.

 

“We have always made clear that the proper way of dealing with allegations of abuse by the Armed Forces is for them to be investigated by the Service Police and as appropriate prosecuted by the independent Service Prosecuting Authorities. I have every confidence in the military investigative and judicial system.

“Some 65,000 Servicemen and women have served in Iraq since the beginning of military operations. Only a small number are alleged to be involved in incidents of this type and in consequence the number of open investigations into deliberate abuse against Iraqi citizens is very small.

“We have always taken abuse allegations seriously throughout. We will of course study the outcome of this Court-Martial and consider whether it raises any new issues for the Army.”