[Marxism] British soldiers accused of sickening sex assault on Iraqi boy, 14

[David Thorstad <binesi@xxxxxxxxx>]

More behavior by wonderful "coalition" troops (mostly Christian and 
hetero, no doubt) in their demonization of Muslims. Meanwhile, back in 
the home country, even consensual sexual behavior between men and boys 
is punished, while these pigs get away with imposing their otherwise 
repressed homo fantasies on defenseless youths in disgusting displays 
echoing Abu Ghraib.
    And the Democrat Party, His Hopefulness included, give complete 
support to this war on the Afghanis and want only to escalate it by 
sending more imperialist troops.
    David
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^



http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/british-soldiers-accused-of-sickening-sex-assault-on-iraqi-boy-14-866482.html?service=Print
 


British soldiers accused of sickening sex assault on Iraqi boy, 14

Just days after the MoD has to pay out millions to the father of a man 
UK soldiers beat to death, fresh claims of abuse emerge

By Andrew Johnson
Sunday, 13 July 2008

British soldiers forced a boy of 14 to carry out an act of oral sex on a 
fellow male prisoner in Iraq, according to shocking new allegations made 
about the behaviour of British troops.

The Ministry of Defence confirmed yesterday that the Royal Military 
Police (RMP) have launched an investigation. If the allegations are 
proved, it would mark a sordid low in the behaviour of British troops in 
Iraq, and damage further the reputation of Britain in the Middle East.

The victim, now 19, whom The Independent on Sunday has agreed to 
identify only as Hassan, says he was rounded up with a friend while 
trying to steal milk cartons from a food distribution centre. He was 
whipped, beaten and forced to strip naked.

"They made us sit on each other's laps," he said. "They were enjoying 
humiliating and abusing us, I wished I was dead at this moment. Then 
they made me sit with Tariq... where I was forced to put Tariq's penis 
in my mouth. The other two were made to do the same."

Court action is ongoing over a series of allegations surrounding the 
British base Camp Breadbasket and incidents that took place there in May 
2003. There have been allegations of simulated sexual abuse of Iraqis by 
British troops, but this, if true, would be the first example of actual 
sexual abuse.

Soldiers rounding up looters as part of an operation codenamed Ali Baba 
took photographs of prisoners suspended in nets from forklift trucks and 
others forced to strip naked and adopt simulated sex positions.

The photographs caused outrage around the world when they were 
published, after a British soldier took them to be developed at a 
high-street shop. An RMP investigation led to just four soldiers being 
jailed for up to two years in 2005. A number of the alleged victims, 
including Hassan, are suing the MoD for damages.

The MoD last Thursday reiterated its official line that abuse was 
isolated to just a few rogue soldiers, after agreeing to pay nearly Â3m 
compensation to the father of Baha Mousa, 26, a hotel receptionist 
beaten to death by British soldiers while in custody in a separate 
incident in September 2003, and nine other Iraqis beaten at the same time.

Mazin Younis, of the Iraqi League, who has travelled in Basra collecting 
witness statements of allegations of abuse, says he now has "more than 
80" cases involving allegations against British troops.

"Every single time I uncover a personal story of torture and humiliation 
in Iraq, I think to myself that I have seen the worst there is," Mr 
Younis added. "Then I hear the next story.

"Hassan shook with emotion and humiliation as he described to me the 
treatment he suffered at the hands of British soldiers five years ago. 
It had taken constant prompting and repeated reminders about the 
importance of detail before Hassan felt brave enough to describe how he 
was forced to engage in oral sex with his friend Tariq while their 
British captors laughed raucously and took photographs."

Such is the culture in Iraq that Hassan fears for his life if 
identified. It has taken him four years to find the courage to talk 
about the incident, Mr Younis said. He fled Basra after the incident, 
giving up his education and staying indoors for fear that someone may 
recognise him.

Mr Younis added: "There is, of course, no case as bad as a killing or 
murder. But the fact that this is sexual ... It can lead to suicide 
because it is so humiliating. Hassan fled Basra because he couldn't face 
his friends, the people who had seen this.

"He left education and is now unemployed. He has been very, very 
traumatised. It is the kind of thing that is very difficult to admit to 
or talk about. No one expected the British to be worse than Saddam 
Hussein."

Mr Younis said the more than 80 allegations of abuse will form the basis 
of a series of actions at the European Court of Human Rights, as many of 
them took place outside British bases and are therefore outside British 
jurisdiction.

Phil Shiner, of Public Interest Lawyers, has represented many of the 
Iraqis who allege abuse at the hands of British troops, including Baha 
Mousa's family and Hassan. "It should be a national scandal that 
representatives of the British state could have engaged in such 
appalling behaviour," he said. "I call on the British government to 
immediately set up an inquiry into this incident."

The Labour MP Harry Cohen also joined calls for an investigation. "We 
need to have a full inquiry into how we keep prisoners. It obviously 
needs a complete overhaul," he said.

An MoD spokesman said yesterday: "We can confirm that a new allegation 
has been received in relation to the alleged abuse of a 14-year-old boy 
by British soldiers at Camp Breadbasket in May 2003.

"The allegation has been referred to the Royal Military Police, and 
efforts are in the process of being made to contact the alleged victim 
as soon as possible.

"All but a handful of the more than 120,000 British troops who have 
served in Iraq have conducted themselves to the highest standards of 
behaviour, displaying integrity and selfless commitment. All allegations 
of abuse are investigated thoroughly and â where proven â those 
responsible are punished and the abused are compensated.

"The Army has done a great deal since the cases of abuse related to the 
death of Baha Mousa in 2003. Procedures and training have been improved. 
But we are not complacent and continue to demand the very highest 
standards of conduct from all our troops."

A case to answer

Baha Mousa

Beaten to death in September 2003. Nine others also mistreated. MoD 
agreed to Â2.83m compensation payout last week and will hold a full 
inquiry into the abuse.

Camp Breadbasket

Prisoners beaten, forced to strip and simulate sex in May 2003. Subject 
of damages claim by 11 of the victims.

Abu Naji

Twenty Iraqi civilians allegedly executed at British base in Abu Naji in 
May 2004. Five survivors bringing a claim for damages.

Jabbir Hmoud Kammash

70-year-old tribal leader is bringing action over claims he was hooded 
and beaten during a raid at his home in Basra in April last year.

Ahmer Jabbar Kareem and Ayad Salim Hanoon

Teenagers forced to swim a canal, resulting in the drowning of Kareem, 
15. Kareem's father and Hanoon are pursuing a claim for damages.

Hassan's statement: 'They enjoyed abusing us'

At 7am my friends convinced me to head towards Camp Breadbasket in order 
to steal dried milk cartons in order to sell them on the black market. 
The hangars were surrounded by a high fence, though there was an opening 
in the fence. Next to the fence there was a road, then a river.

When we tried to leave the hangars via the opening in the fence British 
soldiers chased us. We tried to run away but were caught. Some Iraqis 
managed to escape arrest. I believe some may have drowned as they were 
trying to escape the British.

British soldiers caught me and started beating me and others using their 
vehicle's aerials. They were beating us very harshly. We were led inside 
the hangars while still being beaten all the way. The beating became 
stronger when we were inside the camp. I was kept in a hangar along with 
four other Iraqis.

They ordered us to take off our clothes by gesturing to us to do so. 
When we refused they continued beating us, so we had to follow their 
orders. They made us sit on each other's laps. I was with one of the 
detainees, while another two detainees were made to do the same thing, 
as in the photos. They were enjoying humiliating and abusing us. I 
wished I was dead at this moment. Then they made me sit with Tariq as in 
the other photo, where I was forced to put Tariq's penis in my mouth. 
The other two were made to do the same.

They locked the hangar while we were inside and left us there with no 
food or drink till the afternoon of the day after, when they opened the 
hangar and let us go. Since then I fled Basra altogether as I cannot see 
Tariq again after what had happened, despite the fact that we were close 
friends.





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