Inquiry into torture claims begins

An inquiry into allegations that British soldiers tortured and killed people in Iraq began this week.

The Al-Sweady inquiry looks at events following the “Battle of Danny Boy” in May 2004.

The battle occurred when rebel Mehdi army fighters ambushed British soldiers near a checkpoint called Danny Boy, near Al–Majar.

A number of local residents said that relatives tending nearby fields were caught up in the fighting.

British soldiers detained a number of men. The next day, they handed over 22 bodies to relatives.

Evidence of torture includes close-range bullet wounds, the removal of eyes and stab wounds.

The death certificates describe how the Iraqis died: “Several gunshot wounds to body—severance of sexual organs.”

“Gunshot to head.” “Gunshot in face, pulling out of the eye, breaking the jaw, gunshot to the chest.”