English High Court hears UK troops’ allegations of brutality

In Britain, the English High Court is hearing allegations leveled against British soldiers for killing, torturing and abusing hundreds of Iraqi civilians and prisoners.

British soldiers, who were stationed in the southern city of Basra during the Iraq war are held accountable for “terrifying acts of brutality” and unlawful killing of civilians and systematic abuse of Iraqi prisoners in British-controlled detention facilities, according to an 82-page document put before two judges.

British Defense Secretary Philip Hammond is reportedly investigating the allegations through the Iraq Historic Allegations Team (IHAT).

However, the Public Interest Lawyers (PIL) group, which is representing 192 Iraqis, said IHAT is not independent enough to investigate the “systematic” and high scale violation of human rights.

The PIL also called for a public inquiry into what is presented as “an orgy of sadism, outlawed interrogation methods and unlawful killings by soldiers and intelligence officers against Iraqi civilians and prisoners of war between 2003 and 2008.”

“Enough is enough,” said Michael Fordham QC, for the former prisoners. “There must be a public inquiry in relation to credible and prima-facie cases of human rights violations perpetrated by the British military in Iraq.”

“The state can be in violation of its human rights obligations if it doesn’t put in place systems… that stop it happening again,” he added.

Yet, the British Ministry of Defense, who is representing the British soldiers in the three-day court battle, is seeking to avoid a public inquiry, arguing that the IHAT is capable of establishing the truth.

“The IHAT is the most effective way of investigating these unproven allegations rather than a costly public inquiry,” a spokesman for the ministry said.

The Ministry of Defense has already paid a total of £14m to 205 claimants and a further £1.1m to 22 more people. The department is also negotiating over more payments to more cases.

The hearing comes just weeks after the tenth anniversary of the occupation of Iraq in 2003.

Britain was the second largest contributor of troops to the Iraq war. At least 179 British troops were killed during the US-led invasion of the country.