The Hindu : International : Row over `torture' continues

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, May 16, 2004

International

International

Row over `torture' continues

By Hasan Suroor

LONDON, MAY 15. The row over the conduct of British troops in Iraq continued to rage even after Piers Morgan, the high-profile editor of the Daily Mirror, was sacked on Friday for publishing `fake' photographs of soldiers `torturing' Iraqi prisoners.

Mr. Morgan maintained that he published the `truth' and even the Mirror, which apologised for the photographs, insisted that its account of mistreatment of Iraqi prisoners had not been contradicted. Apart from its original informants, four others, it said, had "told similar stories''.

"No evidence has been produced to disprove what they said,'' the newspaper said even as it gave its entire front page to an apology saying: "Sorry... We were hoaxed''.

One of the Mirror's informants— a soldier, identified only as `C'— confirmed abuse of prisoners by British troops. "It did go on... it was not systematic but it did happen,'' he said in a TV interview as Brig. Geoff Sheldon of the Queen's Lancashire Regiment, which is at the heart of the Mirror's allegations, declared that anyone found guilty would be given `exemplary' punishment.

Hours before Mr. Morgan was sacked , he insisted: "All I want to say is we published the truth. We have revealed a can of worm. If the Government chooses to ignore that, it is entirely a matter for them.''

He was reported to be of the view that by highlighting the allegations of torture he helped expose the scandal surrounding the treatment of Iraqi prisoners by coalition troops, even if the pictures turned out to be fakes. The fact, it was claimed on his behalf, was that the allegations which accompanied the controversial photographs had not been denied.

"What Morgan did achieve with his decision to publish (the pictures) was a sudden and surprising admission by the authorities that they knew about allegations which had never been revealed in public about misbehaviour by the army,'' commented Roy Greenslade, a former editor of the Mirror.

The shocking pictures, which showed British soldiers urinating on a hapless Iraqi civilian and kicking him, had provoked revulsion when they appeared two weeks ago prompting the Prime Minister, Tony Blair, to apologise to Iraqis amid calls for deterrent action against the soldiers.

But after an investigation, the army claimed on Friday that the pictures were fake and said that lives of British soldiers in Iraq had been "placed in jeopardy by what has proved to be nonsense''.. Within hours, Mr. Morgan was shown the door by his proprietors after he refused to apologise.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

International

News Update

Stories in this Section

Damage to shrine triggers outcry

U.S. forces will leave Iraq if asked: Powell

Labour leaders ask Blair to loosen ties with U.S.

Kerry closing gap with Bush in opinion poll

Arafat tells Palestinians to `terrorise' enemy

Warning over misuse of genetic data

Private rocket creates record

E.U. lifts ban on GM corn

Court acts to save girls from mutilation

Row over `torture' continues

Pakistan Prime Minister hails Sonia's statement

Russia's warning to Pakistan

Optimism in China on ties with India