'Britons' caught up in Iraq shootout

Two men were burned to death in their car after a shootout with Iraqi police in the southern Iraqi city of Basra today and security officials said the victims were British citizens.

In London, a Foreign Office spokesman said he was aware of unsubstantiated reports of an incident involving non-Arabs.

A third person in the car, also believed to be a British citizen, was wounded and rushed away by police, said police Capt. Mushtaq Kadhim.

Two Iraqi policemen and two civilians also were wounded in the shooting, he said.

Britain’s Ministry of Defence said it was aware of reports of an incident in Basra and was making inquiries to establish the veracity of claims fatalities.

A ministry spokesman, speaking on customary condition of anonymity, said no British military personnel had been involved in any incident or injured today.

The Foreign Office spokesman, also speaking on condition of anonymity, said his department was aware of ”unsubstantiated reports of an incident involving non-Arabs.”

There was no information available to suggest British diplomats were involved, the Foreign office spokesman said.

According to Kadhim, the attack occurred around 9pm after a police patrol chased two suspicious cars and forced them to stop in the Jazaer neighbourhood of central Basra.

As policemen surrounded the cars and asked those inside for identification, one of the vehicles sped away, Kadhim said.

As the second car tried to follow, policemen opened fire, setting it on fire and killing two occupants. One person was wounded.

Shortly after the shooting and as the car was still on fire, a British military force in two armoured personnel carriers and four armoured jeeps appeared at the scene of the conflict but quickly left.

British troops are headquartered in Basra.