UK soldiers investigated for abuse

Three British soldiers are being investigated over allegations that they abused an Iraqi detainee, the UK ministry of defence…

Three British soldiers are being investigated over allegations that they abused an Iraqi detainee, the UK ministry of defence said today.

The soldiers were referred to a military prosecutor last month and could face war crimes charges, said a ministry spokeswoman, declining to give details of the abuse allegations as the case was under way.

"We have acknowledged that if these allegations do prove to be true then they could be prosecuted as war crimes," the ministry said in an emailed statement.

"That is why we have set up the Iraq Historical Allegations Team to investigate allegations thoroughly," it said.

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Britain, Washington's main ally in the 2003 US-led invasion of Iraq, withdrew its last forces from the country in 2009.

Reuters