Mousa’s dying words recalled

The “dying moments” of hotel worker Baha Mousa alleged by an eye witness to have been killed by British troops after being arrested were revealed during the High Court hearing in July.

Mr Mousa’s father, Daoud Mousa, a colonel in the Basra police force who came to England seeking a fresh investigation, described how he was “horrified” by the state of his son’s body and could not bear to look upon him.

The “last words” of the 26-year-old were described in a witness statement from fellow hotel worker Kifah Taha al-Mutari.

Mr al-Mutari said that he, Baha Mousa and five other hotel workers were arrested in September 2003 and taken to a British military base called Darul Dhyafa and beaten on the neck, chest and genital areas.

He said: “Baha appeared to have much worse ill-treatment than the others.”

During the detention, Mr Mousa was taken to another room and he allegedly received more beatings there.

“On the third night Baha was in a separate room and I could hear him moaning through the walls. I heard him say, ‘I am dying ... blood ... blood ...’. I heard nothing further from him after that.”