A top Met official is reportedly helping probes into Iraq abuses
|
The Metropolitan Police has been asked to look into allegations of murder and abuses by British troops in Iraq.
Scotland Yard confirmed it had been approached by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), but said it was not yet investigating the claims.
Allegations raised over the past few weeks include the case of an Iraqi man killed at a wedding celebration.
International human rights groups have said the military should not be solely responsible for investigating itself.
The top Met detective allegedly asked to help the CPS with the investigation is murder squad head Andy Baker.
Highly unusual
A report by the Daily Mail on Friday claimed that as many as 11 alleged murders, tortures and abuses of Iraqis might be examined by Scotland Yard.
This would be a highly unusual move, as inquiries for alleged crimes committed by troops are usually carried out by the Royal Military Police.
A CPS spokeswoman later told BBC News Online: "I'm not going to confirm the story in the Daily Mail - what I will say is that we have received some papers from the Royal Military Police and we have asked the Met to look into them."
But Scotland Yard said they were "not investigating the matter at this stage", although they confirmed being approached by the CPS.
Cases that might soon be investigated by the Met include that of 22-year-old Ghanem Kadhem Kati, killed at a wedding celebration, and Baha Mousa, 27, the son of a former Iraqi police officer allegedly beaten to death during questioning.
An eight-year-old girl is also said to have been shot in the chest by a British soldier of the First Battalion of the King's Regiment.
Army Investigations
The army said a soldier had fired a warning shot while mobs were throwing stones at them.
It accepted the possibility that the girl might have been killed by that shot, but said it was not proven.
Alleged killings of Iraqis by British troops were highlighted in a report by Amnesty International earlier this month.
A report by the human rights group claimed the inquiries were "secretive", and denounced the fact they were only been handled by military police.
The British Army has already investigated 33 alleged cases of maltreatment, some of which resulted in death.
Twelve inquiries are still under way, six could result in further action and in 15 cases the military investigator decided that there was no case for prosecution.
The Ministry of Defence has said that action will be taken if British soldiers are found guilty.
~RS~q~RS~~RS~z~RS~44~RS~)
One-Minute World News
News services
E-mail this to a friend
Printable version
Key reports in video
You asked Adel Darwish
