BRITAIN: Families of Iraqi prisoners allegedly killed or tortured by British soldiers have begun a legal battle in London to win compensation. The cases are not linked to the photographs recently published by the Daily Mirror allegedly showing abuse by soldiers in an Iraqi prison.
The families' solicitor, Mr Phil Shiner, who lodged an application for judicial review at the Royal Courts of Justice, said they were challenging the government's refusal to hold an independent inquiry or offer damages.
"There may be a dispute about whether the Daily Mirror pictures are real or not. But there can be no dispute that people have died and there must be an inquiry as to what has gone wrong." A decision on how the application will be dealt with is expected when the case returns to the High Court next week.
MPs on the Defence Select Committee announced yesterday that Mirror editor Piers Morgan would be called to give evidence about how his paper obtained photographs apparently showing British troops beating and urinating on an Iraqi detainee.