Laughing UK troops tortured Iraqis

Laughing British soldiers tortured Iraqi detainees by beating and kicking them, pouring freezing water on their heads and forcing them to recite names of English and Dutch football stars, a court heard yesterday.

The accusations - which throw the spotlight back on troop behaviour in the US-led occupation - came from an Iraqi witness at London's High Court where families of six dead civilians have launched a test case against UK soldiers.

"The soldiers appeared to be thoroughly enjoying themselves as the beating was accompanied by laughter," said Kifah Taha al-Mutari. He was arrested in September, 2003, along with one of the six dead Iraqis, Baha Mousa, in a raid on a hotel in Basra.

Mr Mousa later died in custody after alleged severe beatings. "I could hear him moaning through the walls," added Mr Mutari, whose statement was read out in his presence. "I heard him say 'I am dying... blood... blood.' I heard nothing further."

Relatives of the Iraqi civilians who died, represented by British lawyer Phil Shiner, are demanding that judges force Tony Blair's government to open independent probes.

The case is expected to last to the end of the week. Families say five of the six Iraqis were shot dead after the war while going about their daily lives - at home, attending a funeral, driving home from work, visiting a judge and eating dinner - in the British-controlled southern region of Iraq.

The sixth and best-known case is Mr Mousa's. His former colleague Mr Mutari gave the court a graphic depiction of their arrest, along with five other hotel workers.

"They took me and the other detainees to the hotel toilets and started to beat us with their fists and boots. They made us lie on the floor and soldiers stood on our heads," he said. One of the detainees was made to stand inside a large oriental-style toilet where the flush was turned on to humiliate him, he added.