British troops reopen Basra prison

The prison can house up to 300 inmates

British forces have reopened a prison in southern Iraq as they continue steps to control a crimewave that has swept the country since war ended.

British General Peter Wall opened the prison on the outskirts of Basra on Monday by snipping a red ribbon across the entrance.

The prison will house up to 300 people and provide the bare necessities: a blanket, a plywood "mattress" and food.

The cells, measuring nine feet square, used to be crammed with up to 30 people, but will now only contain four inmates.

Iraqi personnel recommended against putting mattresses on the beds, because in the current climate of economic hardship a clean place to stay with regular meals and a soft bed might have enticed people into getting booked into a room.

They're going to be fed and looked after, but it's not going to be too nice

Major Simon Wells

In the coming days, the first arrivals will be 70 people British forces picked up after the war in connection with a variety of serious crimes, including murder, major theft and looting damaging to the infrastructure the occupiers are trying to repair.

Courts will also be opened in Basra this week.

"It's important to have a place to put these people before the courts are open," Gen Wall said.

Post-war conditions have been improved by introducing fans and proper toilets instead of buckets or holes in the ground.

"They're going to be fed and looked after, but it's not going to be too nice," said Major Simon Wells, a military police commander.

"They're not going to want to come back."

Iraqi corrections officers and administrators were expected to be running the prison by the end of this week, Gen Wall said.