



Britain pays $22m to Iraqis abused by its troops


Ian Cobain

LONDON: The British Ministry of Defence has paid £14 million ($21.7 million) in compensation and costs to hundreds of Iraqis who complained that they were illegally detained and tortured by British forces during the five-year occupation of the south-east of the country.

Hundreds more claims are in the pipeline as Iraqis become aware they are able to bring proceedings against the British authorities in London courts.

The MoD said it was investigating every allegation of abuse that has been made.

Human rights groups and lawyers representing former prisoners said the abuse was systemic, with military interrogators and guards responsible for the mistreatment acting in accordance with both their training in Britain and orders issued in Iraq.

The campaigners are calling for a public inquiry into Britain's detention and interrogation practices following the 2003 invasion. An inquiry is a development the MoD would be eager to avoid.

Payments totalling £8.3 million have been made to 162 Iraqis this year. There were payments to 17 individuals last year and 26 in the three years before that.

The average payment to the 205 people who have made successful claims has been almost £70,000, including costs. The MoD said it was negotiating payments concerning a further 196 people.

Lawyers representing former prisoners of the British military say that more than 700 further individuals are likely to make claims next year. Most of those compensated were male civilians who said they had been beaten, deprived of sleep and threatened before being interrogated by British servicemen and women who had detained them on suspicion of involvement in the violent insurgency against the occupation. Others said they suffered sexual humiliation and were forced into stress positions for prolonged periods.

Questioned about the compensation payments, an MoD spokesman said: ''Over 120,000 British troops have served in Iraq, and the vast majority have conducted themselves with the highest standards of integrity and professionalism. All allegations of abuse will always be investigated thoroughly. We will compensate victims of abuse where it is right to do so and seek to ensure that those responsible are brought to justice.''

Next month the high court will hear a judicial review of the MoD's refusal to hold a public inquiry into the abuses.

Guardian News & Media

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