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[casi] UK soldier takes photos of torture



PS. I would like to add my compliments to Peter Brooke for his work in
sending news articles. I also agree with his comments re the sanctions.

Cheers, Ken Hanly

EXCLUSIVE

'Torture' snaps: man held





By JOHN KAY
Chief Reporter

A BRITISH soldier has been arrested over sickening "torture" photos of an
Iraqi prisoner.

They show a PoW dangling from a fork-lift truck.

Others allegedly depict soldiers committing sex acts near captured Iraqis.

The squaddie - in the 1st Royal Regiment of Fusiliers - was seized after he
took a roll of film to his local photo shop to be developed. Horrified lab
workers called in police.

One snap showed an Iraqi PoW who was bound and gagged. He was bundled up in
netting suspended from the a fork-lift driven by a British soldier.

It is believed the prisoner was alive when the pictures were taken in
Southern Iraq as the war was raging.

Last night a war crimes probe was launched by the Army's Special
Investigations Branch.

If proven, the incident would be a breach of the Geneva Convention and would
cause huge embarrassment to the Army and Government.

The squaddie, one of the famous Desert Rats, was arrested by civilian police
at his home in Tamworth, Staffs.

His regiment is based at Celle in Germany but the Fusilier was at home on
leave following the conflict.

He is being held in military custody at a secret location.

Last night a source close to the investigation said: "We are absolutely
appalled by the allegations and the investigation will leave no stone
unturned.

"We believe the Iraqi was alive. It must have been a terrifying experience."

A senior military officer said: "At this stage it is not clear whether the
Fusilier handed in the film on behalf of someone else or took the pictures
himself. Whatever the case, it is pure dynamite."

The Sun knows the identity of the soldier but has agreed not to publish his
name at this stage.

It follows our exclusive revelation that Colonel Tim Collins, the most
famous soldier of Gulf War II, is being investigated over alleged war
crimes.

Father-of-five Col Collins, 43, former CO of the 1st Royal Irish Regiment,
made an inspirational address to his 650 men on the eve of war.

A disgruntled US major then made an official complaint that Col Collins
ill-treated Iraqi PoWs and civilians.

An investigation is continuing into those allegations. And another probe has
been launched into Col Collins' style of command of the regiment.
Senior military sources have disclosed that so far no evidence has been
uncovered of any war crimes committed by Col Collins.

And last night they stressed that the probe into the horror pictures is NOT
connected with the Collins inquiry.

Major General Ken Perkins, The Sun's military adviser, said: "The 1st
battalion Royal Regiment of Fusiliers were once part of my command.

"They are a fine regiment and I am appalled to learn that they have become
embroiled in allegations of ill-treating prisoners of war.

"We don't expect soldiers to be saints. Out of 800 men on active service in
a battalion, there will always be some who break the rules.

"There may be others who take the law into their own hands to punish
prisoners, who may well deserve it. But ill-treatment of prisoners can never
be tolerated. It all comes down to discipline. Activities of this nature
ought not to have gone unnoticed. It should not have taken a set of photos
to bring it to light. The junior officer commanding the platoon or his NCOs
should have picked it up.

"If they were aware of it and took no action, they are seriously at fault.
If any ill treatment went on without them discovering it, they were not
doing their job properly.

"The guilty men may or may not be Fusiliers. The investigation will point
the finger and the accused must be court-martialled and, if found guilty,
dishonourably discharged from the Army."

The Fusiliers formed part of the 7th Armoured Brigade, the legendary Desert
Rats, under the command of Brigadier Graham Binns.

Other units in the Desert Rats included the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards, the
Black Watch, the Light Infantry, and the Irish Guards.

The Fusiliers were also involved in Gulf War I in 1991 - and lost nine men
when American jets strafed their armoured personnel carriers.

The proud regiment traces its origins to 1685 and its colonel-in-chief is
the Duke of Kent.

A senior Ministry of Defence spokeswoman said: "We confirm an investigation
is under way into allegations of photos depicting maltreatment of Iraqi
PoWs. We cannot comment further. But if there is any truth in these
allegations the MoD is appalled. We take responsibility to PoWs extremely
seriously."




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