The US military is investigating a video clip that appeared on the internet purporting to show Western security contractors firing at Iraqi civilian vehicles, a spokesman said yesterday.

ROBIN COOK was an unspectacular foreign secretary and a popular leader of the House of Commons, who dramatically resigned from the British government in March 2003 as a protest about the impending war against Iraq.

A controversial British security firm awarded a lucrative contract in Iraq defended itself tonight in the wake of damning criticism by US inspectors.

British mercenary leader Simon Mann, a neighbour of Mark Thatcher, was jailed for seven years in Zimbabwe today for conspiring to buy weapons of war.