British troops face fresh Iraq abuse claims

British forces face fresh accusations of abusing Iraqi prisoners, with details emerging of another civilian apparently killed…

British forces face fresh accusations of abusing Iraqi prisoners, with details emerging of another civilian apparently killed by soldiers.

The death of Hassan Abbad Saied, thought to have been killed by British troops in Basra last August, could draw Britain into an abuse scandal that has rocked the United States.

British Army investigators have handed the case to state prosecutors, and it could result in civil murder charges.

Sir Menzies Campbell, deputy leader of the Liberal Democrat party, told the Independent: "The immediate question in people's minds will be - how many similar cases are there? But in truth, one is too many."

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An investigation is under way into the death of Baha Mousa (26), a hotel receptionist who was allegedly beaten to death during interrogations last September.

An Iraqi engineer who was detained alongside Mr Mousa,  Mr Kifah Talah, has described how laughing soldiers competed to see who could kick-box the detainees the furthest.  His testimony will form part of a compensation claim against the government by 12 families of Iraqis who say their relatives were unlawfully killed by British troops.

Human rights group Amnesty International says British troops have been involved in killing at least 37 civilians, including an eight-year-old girl, since May 1st, 2003, when the war to topple Saddam Hussein officially ended.