Germany investigates Kosovo torture reports

Germany’s defence ministry is investigating reports that photographs of its troops taking part in torture in Kosovo are making the rounds among soldiers.

“In KFOR circles photos are circulating that allegedly show German soldiers in Kosovo in torture scenes,” the Bild newspaper is reporting tomorrow, referring to the international peace force in Kosovo.

Bild did not say it had the photos and gave no further details.

The German Defence Ministry knows of no photos but is looking into the allegation, spokesman Norbert Bicher said.

“We are treating this outrageous allegation with the necessary seriousness,” he said.

Germany has been a part of the Nato-led KFOR mission in Kosovo since 1999.

In recent days, both Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder and Defence Minister Peter Struck have said they could not imagine German troops abusing prisoners as US soldiers did in Iraq.

“The young people in the German army ... are so well brought up that I can’t conceive of any case that they would participate in such incidents,” Schroeder said on Monday.