CELTIOC LEAGUE: BRITISH ARMY MORE ABUSE ALLEGATIONS

Just hours after the Celtic League added its voice to criticisms by the Manx Nationalist Party of the policy of allowing military recruitment vin Isle of Man schools more examples of the despicable behaviour of British Forces in Iraq have been highlighted.

It has been alleged that British soldiers forced a boy of 14 to carry out an act of oral sex on a fellow male prisoner in Iraq.

The shocking new allegations are to be investigated by the Royal Military Police (RMP). Should the allegations be proven, it would mark a new sordid low in the behaviour of British troops in Iraq, and is sure to further tarnish the reputation of the United Kingdom in the Middle East.

Speaking about the victim at the centre of the latest allegation Phil Shiner (a solicitor at Public Interest Lawyers who is acting in several cases) said:

«Hassan, 14, was forced to give a man oral sex and maintain a prolonged simulated sex position. The watching soldiers laughed out loud. The MoD wants us to believe these were isolated incidents in Iraq and that the »few bad apples« thesis prevails. But has there been systematic abuse by the British during its occupation of Iraq?»

Sir Jock Stirrup, the Chief of Defence Staff, speaking on BBC One's Andrew Marr Show was keen to stress that the latest abuse allegations would be subject to proper police investigations. However, an investigation of these matters by the Royal Military Police in these circumstances could not be claimed to be objective and it is past time that there was independent International scrutiny of the appalling abuses perpetrated by British and other coalition forces in Iraq.

J B Moffatt Director of Information Celtic League

13/07/08