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Heinous charges made against UK military in Iraq

Iraqis were "tortured" by British troops who killed some 20 in fighting at Al-Majar al-Kebir in the south of the country on May 14, the Guardian reported yesterday, citing death certificates drawn up by the town's hospital.

Of 22 certificates issued by hospital director Dr. Adel Salid Majid, copies of which were obtained by the newspaper, seven reported signs of "mutilation" and "torture."

The daily gave details of the cases:

Ahmad al Helfi, a 19-year-old casual laborer, is described as having "several bullet injuries to the body, with blueness of the left eye and a cut-wound by a sharp tool on the right arm. In addition, there are signs of beating and torturing all over the body."

Haider al Lami, 21, also a casual laborer, had "several bullet injuries to the body, with mutilation of genitalia." His penis had been "severed."

Hamed al Suadi, 19, is recorded as having "bullet wounds to the neck and the foot. There are signs of torture: The right arm is fractured and there is full distortion of the face."

Another, Ali al Jemindari, 37, had "several bullet injuries in head, face and the body, with slash marks on the neck. The right arm has been severed at the shoulder. There is a large opening in the right cheek and the removal by gouging of the right eye."

Majid told the Guardian: "On May 15, the police came and asked us to send ambulances to the British base to collect some bodies. When they brought the 22 bodies, it was a surprise to us to see some of these bodies mutilated and tortured.

"There was an angry crowd of relatives outside the hospital gates, so we examined the bodies at once and organized the death certificates. We don't have a big refrigerator here so everyone took the death certificate and the body and buried their family members."

A doctor at nearby Amara hospital who was the first to see the bodies cast doubt on the claims. The doctor, who spoke on condition of anonymity, examined the corpse of Jemindari.

He said: "What we saw on examination is multiple bullet entries and exits. Also I can say is his arm wasn't severed like what was written on the form by Dr. Adel [Majid]. His right shoulder was severely destroyed yet still the right arm was connected by some tissue.

"Also, you couldn't say whether the right eye was removed after death or before.

"But such an injury might happen in war, perhaps a bullet came into his right eye and pressed it inside the skull. And as for the signs of slashing around his neck it could be another bullet passing very near to his neck caused that wound."
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