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Fresh video on prisoner abuse

London: Yet another video footage purportedly showing abuse of Iraqi prisoners by British soldiers has come to light, triggering a fresh controversy over the conduct of western troops in the war-ravaged country.

Hours after the news of the footage was published in the widely circulated The News of the World, the Ministry of Defence ordered a probe into the images which appeared to show U.K. soldiers brutally beating a group of Iraqi teenagers. The newspaper says the video was shot in southern Iraq in 2004. Chancellor Gordon Brown said the abuse, if true, was ``unacceptable''.

On the tape, described as a ``secret home video'', an unidentified cameraman is heard laughing and urging his colleagues on. It was apparently filmed for fun by a corporal. The Ministry of Defence said it was aware of the allegations, which are being probed by the Royal Military Police. Mr. Brown told BBC that the ``loyal, hard-working, decent troops'' in Iraq would see the allegations as a ``slight on their great work''. Those responsible would be brought to trial, he added.

British military spokesman Flight Lieutenant Chris Thomas, based in Basra, said the newspaper's claims related ``to only a tiny number of the 80,000 personnel that have served in Iraq''. ``The pictures are shocking and that's why I think the MoD are right and I'm pleased that they've said they'll carry out a full in depth and very quick investigation,'' Home Office Minister Andy Burnham said. — PTI

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