Blair appalled by Iraq abuse photos

Prime Minister Tony Blair said yesterday abuse of Iraqi prisoners was "completely and totally unacceptable" after pictures were published showing British soldiers apparently urinating on a shackled prisoner of war.

Britain launched an inquiry after yesterday's Daily Mirror newspaper published five black and white photographs of British troops it said were kicking, stamping and urinating on a hooded Iraqi in Basra, southern Iraq, where Britain has around 7,500 soldiers. The images were published only days after pictures of American troops sexually abusing Iraqi prisoners provoked anger and dismay around the world.

"Let me make it quite clear that if these things have actually been done, they are completely and totally unacceptable. We went to Iraq to get rid of that sort of thing, not to do it," Blair told BBC television. "I think in fairness however, we should say that there are thousands of British troops in Iraq doing a very brave, extraordinary job on behalf of the Iraqi people and on behalf of our country to make the country better."

Britain's top General, Sir Mike Jackson, ordered an inquiry. "If proven, not only is such appalling conduct clearly unlawful, it clearly contravenes the British army's high standards," he said. Armed Forces Minister Adam Ingram called the pictures "truly appalling and despicable" if genuine.

The Daily Mirror said it obtained the photographs from two unnamed soldiers in the Queen's Lancashire Regiment. The soldiers said the Iraqi man in the pictures had been detained on suspicion of stealing.

The images come at a particularly difficult moment for Blair, who is considering sending more troops to Iraq to plug the hole left by the withdrawal of Spanish soldiers.

Allegations of prisoner abuse are stinging for Britain, where commanders pride themselves on their troops' skills at winning hearts and minds and often say their tactics are less harsh than those of the Americans.

US President George W. Bush said he was disgusted by photographs shown on CBS news this week showing US soldiers abusing Iraqi prisoners held at Abu Ghraib prison, a notorious centre of torture under ousted President Saddam Hussein. Human rights group Amnesty International said it had warned US and British authorities in Iraq that captives were being abused.

The British army is already investigating eight soldiers accused of abusing Iraqi prisoners, and the US army has brought criminal charges against six soldiers relating to abuses from November and December 2003 on 20 detainees.