Insurgents’ bodies ‘not mutilated’ by British troops

Bodies of insurgents killed in a battle in Iraq were not mutilated by British troops, nor were detainees mistreated, a public inquiry has heard.

On the first day of evidence from military witnesses, the Al-Sweady Inquiry was told claims that Iraqis killed in the Battle of Danny Boy were mutilated were “baseless rumours”, spread to discredit coalition forces.

The inquiry is examining claims, denied by the Ministry of Defence (MoD), that 20 or more Iraqis were unlawfully killed at Camp Abu Naji (CAN) near Majar-al-Kabir on May 14 and 15, 2004, and detainees were ill-treated there and at Shaibah Logistics Base.