Piers Morgan, editor of the UK's Daily Mirror newspaper, has stepped down in the wake of the scandal surrounding apparently-faked photos showing abuse of Iraqi prisoners by British troops. In a press conference Friday, the Queen's Lancashire Regiment showed reporters uniforms and equipment which it said proved the photographs were faked. One picture appeared to show a British soldier urinating on an Iraqi victim crouched on the floor.

Colonel Black, a former regiment commander, said the pictures put lives in danger and acted as a "recruiting poster" for al-Qaeda.

The regiment's Brigadier Geoff Sheldon said the vehicle featured in the photographs had been located in a Territorial Army base in Lancashire and had never been in Iraq.

He said the QLR's reputation had been damaged by the Mirror and asked the newspaper to apologise because the evidence they were staged was "overwhelming".

Referring to the soldiers responsible, he said: "Whoever did this has committed a despicable act and I hope they are found out and receive an exemplary punishment."