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UK 'agrees new Basra death probe' UK agrees new Basra death probe
(21 minutes later)
The defence secretary has conceded there is a need for a fresh inquiry into the deaths of 20 Iraqis in Basra in 2004, the High Court has been told. A group of Iraqis have won a legal battle to hold a fresh inquiry into claims UK troops tortured and killed 20 people after a gun battle in Basra.
Six Iraqis have been pressing for the inquiry, over claims UK troops tortured and killed the 20 after a gun battle. The defence secretary has now conceded there is a need for an inquiry into the 2004 events, the High Court heard.
Lawyers for the Iraqis produced medical evidence they said backed the need for an independent public inquiry. Lawyers for the six Iraqis produced medical evidence they said backed the need for an independent public inquiry.
The government had said the 20 dead were killed during a gun battle and that military police had investigated. The government had said the dead were killed during a gun battle and that military police had investigated.
The Ministry of Defence denies wrongdoing by soldiers.
It was alleged Iraqi civilians were detained following "the battle of Danny Boy" - a fire fight between British soldiers and Iraqi insurgents near the town of Al Majar-al-Kabir, in Maysan Province, on 14 May 2004.
But lawyers for the Iraqis produced evidence in court they said supported allegations the captives were taken to British base Camp Abu Naji, where they were tortured, murdered, and their bodies mutilated.
Defence Secretary Bob Ainsworth conceded at the High Court there was insufficient information for judges to be able to make a fully-informed judgment on the allegations.
Clive Lewis QC, for the government, said the secretary of state "profoundly regretted" a failure to make documents available to the court in good time.
The secretary of state was therefore proposing "an investigation of the murder of Iraqi detainees at Camp Abu Naji in Southern Iraq on the night of May 14-15 2004 and specific allegations by five Iraq nationals of ill-treatment," he said.