British soldiers accused of abusing and sexually humiliating Iraqi prisoners were only following orders that their detainees be "worked hard", defence lawyers have told a military court.
This image shows British soldier Lance Corporal Mark Cooley simulating to punch an Iraqi detainee
The defence began cross-examining witnesses at the trial of Corporal Daniel Kenyon and lance corporals Darren Larkin and Mark Cooley a day after published photos, some including the soldiers, appeared to show naked detainees being forced to simulate anal and other sex acts.
Prime Minister Tony Blair told parliament today he found the pictures "shocking and appalling".
The case echoes the scandal involving US soldiers at Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq, which severely tarnished Washington's image in the Arab world and elsewhere.
British officials have stressed that very few British troops have been accused of similar actions, although a prosecution witness said that commanders heard several reports of problems, which prompted them to reinforce orders that civilians were not to be mistreated.
"We had a number of allegations that civilians were not being treated as they should be," Lt Col Nicholas Mercer, a senior legal officer stationed in the Gulf during the war said.
Mr Joseph Giret, a civilian lawyer for Lce Cpl Kenyon, told the court his client was following orders to round up looters stealing from food stores near the southern Iraqi city of Basra in the weeks after the invasion.
Under a plan called "Ali Baba", troops were told that looters were to be caught and "worked hard" to repair damage and deter further pilfering. "The whole reason Kenyon is in the dock stems from those who gave the order to operate plan Ali Baba," Mr Giret said.
Yesterday the prosecution said the order was against international law preventing civilians from being detained and forced to work, but the prosecutors said soldiers' actions went far beyond it.
Lt Col Mercer said the "quasi-police" role forced on troops by the total breakdown of law and order in Iraq posed big challenges. But he said troops had clear instructions about what to do with civilians apprehended for suspected criminal activity.
"They can be detained, handed over to Military Police and underpinning all this is treatment with humanity and dignity."
Major Daniel Taylor, the commander of the camp hit by looters and the one who allegedly gave the verbal order, is expected to testify tomorrow after the court adjourned earlier today to give lawyers time to look at new evidence.
The three soldiers, who sat straight-faced throughout the testimony, have pleaded not guilty to numerous counts of abuse, although one admitted assaulting a man.
Photos plastered across newspaper front pages showed an Iraqi man dangling from a forklift truck held only by netting and a soldier with his foot raised over a bound Iraqi lying in a puddle of water.