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U.S. used white phosphorous against Iraqi civilians, charges Italian TV

The shells of the weapon burn every living thing within 150 metres of impact

— PHOTO: AP

INDISCRIMINATE USE?: White phosphorous being allegedly used by U.S. forces in Iraq in November 2004 seen in this image from video made available by the website of RaiNews24, the all-news channel of Italian RAI state television.

ROME: Italian state television aired a documentary on Tuesday alleging that the United States used white phosphorous shells ``in a massive and indiscriminate way'' against civilians during the November 2004 offensive in Fallujah.

The report said the shells were not used to illuminate enemy fighters at night, as the U.S. Government has said, but against civilians, and that it burned their flesh ``to the bone.''

The documentary by RaiNews24, the all-news channel of RAI state television, quoted former marine Jeff Englehart as saying he saw the bodies of burned children and women after the bombardments.

Host of allegations

``Burned bodies. Burned children and burned women. White phosphorous kills indiscriminately. It's a cloud that, within ... 150 metres of impact, will disperse and will burn every human being or animal.''

There have been several allegations that the U.S. used outlawed weapons, such as napalm, in the Fallujah offensive.

On November 9, 2004, the Pentagon denied that any chemical weapons, including napalm, were used in the offensive.

On its web site, the U.S. Government has said it used phosphorous shells ``very sparingly in Fallujah, for illumination purposes.'' It noted that phosphorous shells were not outlawed.

``They were fired into the air to illuminate enemy positions at night, not at enemy fighters,'' the Government statement said.

Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman said on Tuesday that white phosphorus was a conventional weapon.

He said he did not know if the Army used it in the Fallujah operations in 2004. — AP

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