British troops face charges

FOUR British soldiers from the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers are to face a court martial charged with abusing Iraqi prisoners, British Attorney General Lord Goldsmith announced yesterday.

Charges against the four include assault, indecent assault which apparently involves making the victims engage in sexual activity between themselves, and a military charge of prejudicing good order and military discipline, said Lord Goldsmith.

The Attorney General said, in a written statement to peers, that the case “concerns conduct alleged to have occurred while the civilians were being temporarily detained, but not in a prison or detention facility”.