Britain reports nine torture probes involving military in Iraq: UN source

[NNN0LHI]

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/afp/20041116/wl_mideast_afp/iraq_britain_prisoners&cid=1514&ncid=1606

GENEVA (AFP) - Britain has told a United Nations (news - web sites) human rights panel that nine cases of alleged torture or mistreatment involving British soldiers in Iraq (news - web sites) are under investigation or ready to be brought to trial, a source close to the UN panel said.

A report submitted by the British government to the Geneva-based UN Committee on Torture said that a total of 17 cases that may be considered as torture had been investigated or were under investigation, the source said.

Eight cases had been dropped after investigation, he added.

The UN's top anti-torture panel had asked Britain to submit the special report on Iraq alongside its regular account of overall national efforts to prevent or tackle torture.

more

[Judi Lynn]

1. If it happened, it shouldn't be ignored.

From the article:

Britain's Attorney General Peter Goldsmith said in June that four soldiers would be court-martialled for allegedly beating and sexually abusing prisoners in Iraq.

Goldsmith said a further seven cases linked to alleged mistreatment in Iraq had already been referred, or were likely to be referred, to the prosecuting office overseeing the British military.
(snip/...)

If the alleged "civilized" countries can't respect standards of conduct, they shouldn't also go through the pompous exercise of claiming leadership in the world.

Sheer power doesn't provide moral strength, and goodness, but who the hell cares, anyway?