Reported on the B.B.C. this morning
MoD to probe Iraq 'abuse' video

The footage shows British soldiers dragging youths and kicking them.

A military spokesman in Iraq condemned "all acts of abuse and brutality" by British troops, saying the allegations related to a "tiny number" of soldiers.

The Royal Military Police are probing the incident, which the newspaper said happened in southern Iraq in 2004.

Alleged abuse

On the tape, described as a "secret home video", an unidentified cameraman is heard laughing and urging his colleagues on. It was apparently filmed for fun by a corporal.

M.O.D. said it was aware of the allegations.

British military spokesman Flight Lieutenant Chris Thomas, based in Basra, said: "We hope that the good relations that the multi-national forces have worked very hard to develop won't be adversely affected by this material."


M.O.D.Have satisfied ourselves that this is an absolutely genuine article

The tape allegedly shows a disturbance in the street outside what the paper calls a military compound.

Soldiers are shown chasing youths involved in the disturbance, dragging four of them into the compound and beating them on various parts of the body with batons and kicking them, one in the genitals.

The recording is said to show an attack lasting a minute, with 42 blows counted.

A journalist who watched the video said a soldier could also be seen kicking a dead Iraqi in the face.

No doubt those found guilty will get off as previous British soldiers have done in the past.