Britain faces compo claims over 'abuse'

BRITAIN may find itself facing claims for compensation if allegations that its troops abused Iraqi detainees are proved to be true, Foreign Secretary Jack Straw acknowledged yesterday.

But Mr Straw stressed the Royal Military Police (RMP) investigation into photographs purportedly showing an Iraqi prisoner being beaten was at a very early stage and that no final judgment on the "awful" scenes depicted had yet been reached.

His comments came as doubts were raised over the authenticity of the photos, published in the Daily Mirror over the weekend.