Arrest after UK Iraq abuse claims

[kpete]

Arrest after UK Iraq abuse claims

Monday, February 13, 2006; Posted: 8:00 a.m. EST (13:00 GMT)

One person has been arrested after the release of a video apparently showing British soldiers savagely beating Iraqi teenagers, the Ministry of Defence said on Monday.

A spokesman told CNN the arrest was on Sunday night but declined to give further details, the rank of the person arrested, or the identity of their unit.

The video has been shown widely on British television as well as Arabic news stations and shows a group of soldiers dragging Iraqi protestors behind a wall while a demonstration is under way, beating them with batons and kicking them.

At the weekend, British Prime Minister Tony Blair had promised to investigate the allegations.

The News of the World said on Sunday the alleged attack by eight soldiers, which followed a scene showing youths throwing stones at the soldiers, was videotaped in southern Iraq in early 2004. CNN has not confirmed the authenticity of the film.

http://www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/meast/02/13/iraq.beatings/index.html