Talabani hits out at video showing abuse

IRAQI President Jalal Talabani condemned the alleged abuse by British soldiers of Iraqi youths caught on film in 2004, describing it as “unjustified”, his spokesman said yesterday.

“This act is rejected and not accepted whether it came from the coalition forces, who the president is much obliged to for what they did for the Iraqi people, or from another side,” Talabani spokesman Kameran Garadaghi said.

“But the good thing is that the British authorities condemned and are investigating it,” Mr Garadaghi said.

Mr Talabani’s criticism came as the British Ministry of Defence announced one man had been arrested over the video that appeared to show soldiers dragging several young Iraqis into a compound and beating them with fists and batons following a street demonstration.

An Associated Press photographer who witnessed the demonstration said it took place in the Maysan provincial city of Amarah, 180 miles south-east of Baghdad.

The video was first reported by the tabloid News of the World, which said that an unidentified whistleblower provided the tape, which was filmed in southern Iraq by a corporal two years ago. It did not name the soldier or the unit involved.

The Ministry of Defence declined to identify the man who was arrested last night.

The News of the World said it had made exhaustive checks to confirm the authenticity of the video.