Soldier shown abusing Iraqis a ‘war hero’

A BRITISH soldier who was photographed abusing Iraqi prisoners was described as a war hero who was only following orders at his court martial yesterday.

Solicitor Joseph Giret said Corporal David Kenyon was “an outstanding soldier”.

“He has a blemish-free record. He has been described as a war hero as he was responsible for saving the lives of several of his colleagues.”

Mr Giret told the court that Cpl Kenyon was only following the orders given by a superior officer.

He said: “He has not acted out of character. The whole reason he is in the dock stems from those who gave the order to operate the plan Ali Baba.”

The Operation Ali Baba order was given by Major Dan Taylor, who was in charge of Camp Breadbasket. He told soldiers at the camp to catch looters who had been stealing food and “work them hard” - an order which was in breach of the Geneva Convention, the court heard.

Mr Giret said no soldier would ever refuse to carry out an order.

As British Prime Minister Tony Blair condemned the “shocking and appalling” photographs, the hearing, at a British Army Court Martial Centre in Osnabruck in Germany, was told the army’s senior legal adviser in Iraq had “heard of problems”.

Only five days after the Operation Ali Baba abuse scandal, senior officer Lieutenant Colonel Nicholas Mercer issued an order reminding soldiers they could not assault prisoners. Lt Col Mercer said he issued the order after allegations were made that arrested Iraqis were “not being treated perhaps as they should”.

Three soldiers, from the 1st Battalion The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers, are accused of abusing and assaulting Iraqi civilian prisoners at Camp Breadbasket, a humanitarian aid camp near Basra.

Lance Corporal Mark Cooley, 25, and Corporal Daniel Kenyon, 33, both from Newcastle upon Tyne, both deny the charges.

Lance Corporal Darren Larkin, 30, from Oldham, Greater Manchester, has admitted one charge of assaulting an unknown male at the camp, but denies another charge of forcing two Iraqi males to undress in front of others.

Twenty-two photographs were released on Tuesday and the “shocking and appalling” images were condemned by Mr Blair in the House of Commons yesterday. He said the photographs must not be allowed to “tarnish the reputation” of British troops serving in Iraq.

Lt Col Mercer, who was commanding legal adviser during the Iraqi conflict, said all soldiers were taught to report any abuse they witnessed.

He said: “What we say is you should have moral courage and when you see something that is wrong you should report it and it is taught from the outset.”

The 22 photographs of the abuse of the civilians at the hands of the British soldiers have been shown to the court.

The images include naked Iraqi prisoners simulating sex acts, British soldiers pretending to punch and kick bound men and a prisoner - grimacing with fear - tied to the raised forks of a forklift truck.

The photographs were taken on May 15, 2003. They came to light after a photo shop assistant was asked to process a film by Fusilier Gary Bartlam who was convicted for taking the photographs at an earlier hearing.