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04/05/2004
Armed forces minister due to comment on torture photos
Armed forces Minister, Adam Ingram, is due to make a statement to the House of Commons, regarding a series of photos, which appear to show UK troops abusing an Iraqi prisoner.
The photos, which were published in the Daily Mirror, appear to show a hooded and bound Iraqi prisoner being struck with a rifle butt, urinated on and having a gun held to his head. The Daily Mirror insists that the photos are genuine and come from two sources within the regiment in question – the Queen’s Lancashire Regiment - but some military personnel have raised serious doubts about the authenticity of the photos. Their suspicions focus on the troops clothing and equipment, which, it has been claimed, are not standard issue for troops in Iraq, the quality of the photos themselves and the lack of dirt, sweat or injuries on the body of the alleged victim.
Liberal Democrat leader, Charles Kennedy, has called on Mr. Ingram to address MPs on the issue, saying that whether or not the photos were genuine, they would still have a “massive impact in terms of domestic opinion within Iraq and again across the Muslim world and the Arab world as a whole”. He also expressed fears that the photos could help to create more suicide bombers.
The Ministry of Defence have begun an investigation into the photos and the Royal Military Police, has begun investigations in both the UK, the Southern Iraqi city of Basra and Cyprus, where the Queen’s Lancashire Regiment is based.
An MoD spokesman said that the first priority of the investigation was to establish whether any abuse had taken place. It was impossible to rule out the possibility that the photos were a reconstruction of an incident that had previously taken place.
(KmcA)
The photos, which were published in the Daily Mirror, appear to show a hooded and bound Iraqi prisoner being struck with a rifle butt, urinated on and having a gun held to his head. The Daily Mirror insists that the photos are genuine and come from two sources within the regiment in question – the Queen’s Lancashire Regiment - but some military personnel have raised serious doubts about the authenticity of the photos. Their suspicions focus on the troops clothing and equipment, which, it has been claimed, are not standard issue for troops in Iraq, the quality of the photos themselves and the lack of dirt, sweat or injuries on the body of the alleged victim.
Liberal Democrat leader, Charles Kennedy, has called on Mr. Ingram to address MPs on the issue, saying that whether or not the photos were genuine, they would still have a “massive impact in terms of domestic opinion within Iraq and again across the Muslim world and the Arab world as a whole”. He also expressed fears that the photos could help to create more suicide bombers.
The Ministry of Defence have begun an investigation into the photos and the Royal Military Police, has begun investigations in both the UK, the Southern Iraqi city of Basra and Cyprus, where the Queen’s Lancashire Regiment is based.
An MoD spokesman said that the first priority of the investigation was to establish whether any abuse had taken place. It was impossible to rule out the possibility that the photos were a reconstruction of an incident that had previously taken place.
(KmcA)
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05 May 2004
Troops inquiry must 'take its course,' says Minister
The Armed Forces Minister has said that inquiry into the alleged conduct of some British Troops in Iraq must be allowed to "take its course".
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The Armed Forces Minister has said that inquiry into the alleged conduct of some British Troops in Iraq must be allowed to "take its course".
13 May 2004
Daily Mirror abuse photos 'not taken in Iraq'
Controversial pictures published by the Daily Mirror which purported to depict the alleged abuse of Iraqi detainees by British soldiers were "categorically not taken in Iraq", the Commons was told today.
Daily Mirror abuse photos 'not taken in Iraq'
Controversial pictures published by the Daily Mirror which purported to depict the alleged abuse of Iraqi detainees by British soldiers were "categorically not taken in Iraq", the Commons was told today.
16 June 2008
More British Troops To Be Deployed To Afghanistan
An additional 300 British troops are soon to be bound for Afghanistan. The news will be confirmed later today after Prime Minister Gordon Brown revealed the deployment, with Defence Secretary Des Browne due to give details in the Commons at 3.30pm.
More British Troops To Be Deployed To Afghanistan
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11 July 2006
UK to send extra troops to Afghanistan
Nearly 900 extra troops are to be sent to Afghanistan, Defence Secretary Des Browne has confirmed. The reinforcements will be sent to the Helmand province in the south of the country, where six British soldiers have been killed in the past month.
UK to send extra troops to Afghanistan
Nearly 900 extra troops are to be sent to Afghanistan, Defence Secretary Des Browne has confirmed. The reinforcements will be sent to the Helmand province in the south of the country, where six British soldiers have been killed in the past month.
22 February 2005
Australia to send more troops to Iraq
Australian Prime Minister John Howard has announced plans to send more Australian troops to Iraq. Speaking in Canberra today, Mr Howard announced that an extra 450 Australian troops will be sent to Iraq, to protect Japanese engineers working in the al-Muthanna province in the south of the country.
Australia to send more troops to Iraq
Australian Prime Minister John Howard has announced plans to send more Australian troops to Iraq. Speaking in Canberra today, Mr Howard announced that an extra 450 Australian troops will be sent to Iraq, to protect Japanese engineers working in the al-Muthanna province in the south of the country.
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