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From British (conservative) The Daily Telegraph:

MoD admits abusing Iraqis

Iraqi civilians assaulted by British troops are likely to be compensated with more than £1 million after the Ministry of Defence admitted soldiers acted unlawfully.

Following the conviction of soldiers during the notorious Camp Breadbasket case, nine Iraqi victims have sued the MoD through British lawyers.

In a significant development the MoD said yesterday it admitted unlawful assault and battery by soldiers from the 1st Bn Royal Regiment of Fusiliers in May 2003 at the Basra base.

Lawyers acting for the Iraqis believe they are now in a strong position to obtain compensation for the victims.

“This is the first time that the MoD had admitted that these civilians were subjected to unlawful assault and battery at Camp Breadbasket,” said Sapna Malik, a solicitor representing the civilians.

“Some of these men were subjected to very grave abuse and will be seeking adequate compensation for what happened to them.”

Following the 2003 invasion of Iraq the Fusiliers captured Iraqis looting an aid camp and they were detained for a brief period during which they were beaten, forced to simulate sex and suspended from a forklift truck.

Fusilier Gary Bartlam, 20, took a film to be developed containing 22 photographs of abuse taking place which triggered a court martial.

Bartlam and three others were jailed for the abuse in 2005.

But the MoD said it was unable to admit or dispute the precise details of allegations pending its on-going investigations into the incident. The MoD has also denied that the Human Rights Act or European Convention on Human Rights extended to the humanitarian aid distribution centre where the abuses occurred.

Ms Malik added: “It is good that the MoD has admitted that the treatment received by each of the Claimants was unlawful, although its refusal to accept that Camp Breadbasket falls within the ambit of the Human Rights Act is frustrating. The maltreatment of the men was hideous, humiliating and degrading and the legacy lingers with them to this day. We hope that today’s admission marks the MoD’s willingness to resolve the claims fairly so that the men can try to finally move forward with their lives.”