NationStates Jolt Archive

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/7258374.stm

Apparently British troops took Iraqi prisoners they had captured after a gun battle, to their base and tortured and then executed them...

British troops executed as many as 20 Iraqi prisoners after a gun battle in May 2004, lawyers claim.

Some alleged survivors of the gun battle near the southern Iraqi town of Majar al-Kabir also claim corpses were mutilated by UK military personnel.

The allegations were first reported a month after the fighting but lawyers acting for the survivors said this was the first time full details had been published.

At a London press conference, lawyers Mr Shiner and Martyn Day suggested prisoners taken after the three-hour gun battle - known as the Battle of Danny Boy after a checkpoint - were moved to a British base at Abu Naji and killed.

They have published written statements from five alleged survivors - Hussein Jabbari Ali, Hussain Fadhil Abass, Atiyah Sayid Abdelreza, Madhi Jassim Abdullah and Ahmad Jabber Ahmood - describing what they heard while in detention.

They say they heard other men screaming, moaning in pain and choking and also the sound of gunfire.

They also say they were cuffed and forced to wear blacked-out goggles.

The lawyers are bringing a damages claim in the UK courts on behalf of the five men and the families of the deceased.

Mr Abdelreza's statement said: "I believed people were being killed. I have never heard anything like that sound ever before in my life.

The lawyers say the five witnesses are labourers from Majar al-Kabir with "absolutely nothing" to do with the insurgent Mehdi army, who engaged British troops at the Battle of Danny Boy.

"For example, quite how so many of the Iraqis sustained single gunshots to the head and from seemingly at close quarter, how did two of them end with their eyes gouged out, how did one have his penis cut off [and] some have torture wounds?"

Heh, people are ignoring this because it isn't deh ebil amerikkans. I guess torture is OK as long as those ebil Yanks arn't behind it.

Surely someone will accuse the Brits of being the puppets and or it was Americans dressed as the Brits. As for the story until new evidence shows up I am suspicious of it.

Good, best thing to do with terrorists,that or make them look at pics of Janet Reno nude.


BAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!!

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/7258374.stm

Apparently British troops took Iraqi prisoners they had captured after a gun battle, to their base and tortured and then executed them...

Heh, people are ignoring this because it isn't deh ebil amerikkans. I guess torture is OK as long as those ebil Yanks aren't behind it.

Surely someone will accuse the Brits of being the puppets and or it was Americans dressed as the Brits. As for the story until new evidence shows up I am suspicious of it.

TIME WARP! I HAVE THE POWER!

Impossible. War has always brought out the nobler honorable side of the british.

*tries to keep a straight face*

((Just a little jab after all the haymakers thrown at the US military. War is ugly and people in war are uglier. There will always be soldiers who revert to beasts in war. How a government responds to such an act reveals the nature of the government responsible; not the act itself. ))

Impossible. War has always brought out the nobler honorable side of the british.

*tries to keep a straight face*

((Just a little jab after all the haymakers thrown at the US military. War is ugly and people in war are uglier. There will always be soldiers who revert to beasts in war. How a government responds to such an act reveals the nature of the government responsible; not the act itself. ))

Good point.

Sometimes I wish the people that make blanket accusations and expect the best behavior on the battlefield could actually spend a day in combat.

Heh, people are ignoring this because it isn't deh ebil amerikkans. I guess torture is OK as long as those ebil Yanks aren't behind it.

I hate to say it, but your ultra-victim mentality does more to drive people away from your point of view than it does to make them agree with it.

I hate to say it, but your ultra-victim mentality does more to drive people away from your point of view than it does to make them agree with it.

You do realize that was sarcasm, right?

I hate to say it, but your ultra-victim mentality does more to drive people away from your point of view than it does to make them agree with it.

No one had responded to this thread since its creation when I posted that. Call me a pessimist.

No one had responded to this thread since its creation when I posted that. Call me a pessimist.

Dear pessimist,

1) Given the time difference between the UK and North America, it would appear that NSGers from the US are the ones who have been ignoring this thread.

2) Anyone in the UK/Europe who is awake at 4am on a Saturday is almost certainly someone who has better things to do than reply to copy and paste spam.

3) If there actually turns out to be any evidence to support these allegations, and the authorities fail to address them properly, THEN you can go off on a rant that is actually justified.

Dear pessimist,

1) Given the time difference between the UK and North America, it would appear that NSGers from the US are the ones who have been ignoring this thread.

2) Anyone in the UK/Europe who is awake at 4am on a Saturday is almost certainly someone who has better things to do than reply to copy and paste spam.

3) If there actually turns out to be any evidence to support these allegations, and the authorities fail to address them properly, THEN you can go off on a rant that is actually justified.

Dear Pictish,

Look at the time difference. It's 4AM in Central in the US. Most sane people are ASLEEP. Most other sane people find other ways to spend their Friday nights than staying on a computer.

And it is amusing how this isn't a major news story on CNN or something. You'd think the American press would be all over it.

though odds are somebody is going to prison for this I can't help but be reminded of the whole British police beating Iraqi civilian video which kindly left out that the innocent civilians had been lobbing mortars all week

more information is needed but odds are its going to be a bad day to be a British soldier in Iraq

Heh, people are ignoring this because it isn't deh ebil amerikkans. I guess torture is OK as long as those ebil Yanks aren't behind it.

no its being ignored because its not really news anymore is it

2) Anyone in the UK/Europe who is awake at 4am on a Saturday is almost certainly someone who has better things to do than reply to copy and paste spam.

it is always nice to have a quick poke at NS late at night though just for the insanity of the place

Most other sane people find other ways to spend their Friday nights than staying on a computer.

above posters not included :p

above posters not included :p

If I ever claimed to be sane, that be false advertising of the most extreme kind.

Plus, I like to keep my wild parties down to one a week and a good friend is having her 21st birthday celebrations tomorrow. So tonight is my balancing night of sitting at the computer in my PJs and eating hot wings. (mmm. hot wings.)

Plus, I like to keep my wild parties down to one a week and a good friend is having her 21st birthday celebrations tomorrow. So tonight is my balancing night of sitting at the computer in my PJs and eating hot wings. (mmm. hot wings.)

Friday nights are pretty shit really, mostly filled with children, bad drinkers and other work serious types (though birthday celebrations are famous for being the time when you realize all your friends are jerks:p)

can I have some hot wings my head hurts and I have no cereal :(

2) Anyone in the UK/Europe who is awake at 4am on a Saturday is almost certainly someone who has better things to do than reply to copy and paste spam.Actually, my library is my only means of internet, and it isn't open at the time.

Actually, my library is my only means of internet, and it isn't open at the time.

you spend all day in the library using the Internet?

maybe its time to admit you have a problem ;)

*The OP*
Extremely plausible, and a bit sad.

Dear Pictish,

Look at the time difference. It's 4AM in Central in the US. Most sane people are ASLEEP. Most other sane people find other ways to spend their Friday nights than staying on a computer.

And it is amusing how this isn't a major news story on CNN or something. You'd think the American press would be all over it.

Dear Reeka,

Why don't YOU look at the time difference, then at the time on the OP, then consider how reasonable it was to expect a major response to this thread.

And if, as you say, this isn't a major story in the US, that's because it doesn't involve anyone from the US.

A very sad state of affairs, no matter who's involved.

A very sad state of affairs, no matter who's involved.

what about sunshine and lollipops?

((Just a little jab after all the haymakers thrown at the US military. War is ugly and people in war are uglier. There will always be soldiers who revert to beasts in war. How a government responds to such an act reveals the nature of the government responsible; not the act itself. ))

You know, it's very disconcerting for your readers when you go from clownery to profound insight without any warning. I suppose that's deliberate. :p

You're entirely right of course: the soldiers concerned should get a fair trial, and if they're guilty then we throw the book at them. We must root out war-criminals if we are to prevent our army's reputation from being tarnished by atrocities.

Deplorable if true :(

Sounds like the UK Government is doing the right thing: Investigate thoroughly, charge those who have violated the law, let the judicial system do it's job. Good on the Brits.

I should say, I am in favour of people like the Mahdi Army being put to death, but only after a fair trial on the charges of violating the Hague Convention as illegal combatants. It is wrong to tie the hands of our own soldiers with these rules but not inflict the appropriate punishment upon those who flout them on the other side.

You know, it's very disconcerting for your readers when you go from clownery to profound insight without any warning. I suppose that's deliberate. :p

Deliberate and fun. :)

You're entirely right of course: the soldiers concerned should get a fair trial, and if they're guilty then we throw the book at them. We must root out war-criminals if we are to prevent our army's reputation from being tarnished by atrocities.

A proper government prosecutes crimes; even it's own.

A proper government prosecutes crimes; even it's own.

*lifts rock*

Hey look. A proper *rock falls* oh... nevermind.

Sounds like the UK Government is doing the right thing: Investigate thoroughly, charge those who have violated the law, let the judicial system do it's job. Good on the Brits.
True.

I should say, I am in favour of people like the Mahdi Army being put to death, but only after a fair trial on the charges of violating the Hague Convention as illegal combatants.
Meh.

It is wrong to tie the hands of our own soldiers with these rules but not inflict the appropriate punishment upon those who flout them on the other side.
Yeh, it sure sucks that professional soldiers who represent the state and nation should, like, obey some form of humanity.

Impossible. War has always brought out the nobler honorable side of the british.

*tries to keep a straight face*

((Just a little jab after all the haymakers thrown at the US military. War is ugly and people in war are uglier. There will always be soldiers who revert to beasts in war. How a government responds to such an act reveals the nature of the government responsible; not the act itself. ))

Exactly.