Soldier tells of UK 'war crimes'

The court has been shown 22 photos depicting alleged abuse

A soldier who believes he saw UK troops abusing Iraqi prisoners has told a court martial he felt at the time that their actions constituted "war crimes".

Cpl Jonathan Petrice was at the trial of three soldiers accused of abusing Iraqis at a Basra aid camp in 2003.

He said he saw one of the three, L/Cpl Darren Larkin, threaten Iraqis with a metal pole and force them to undress.

But under cross-examination at the court in Germany, he admitted he could no longer be sure who he had seen.

L/Cpl Darren Larkin, 30, of Oldham, Greater Manchester, admits one assault but denies forcing Iraqis to undress in front of each other.

Cpl Daniel Kenyon, 33, and L/Cpl Mark Cooley, 25, both of Newcastle upon Tyne, deny all the charges they face.

It has just really conflicted me as to whether it was him or not Cpl Jonathan Petrice

The soldiers are all from the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers.

Cpl Petrice originally said he saw L/Cpl Larkin standing yards from a naked Iraqi and a second man who was undressing.

"The exact words he said I don't quite recollect - it was of an aggressive nature," he said.

The soldier identified as L/Cpl Larkin then said "something regarding getting undressed" to the detainee, according to Cpl Petrice.

He said he was only outside for a matter of seconds before he left the scene.

L/Cpl Larkin has admitted one charge of assault

But under cross-examination Cpl Petrice said he had been confused by images of L/Cpl Larkin published in the press.

He said the man he witnessed was dressed in combat trousers but he had seen L/Cpl Larkin wearing boxer shorts in photographs.

"It has just really conflicted me as to whether it was him or not," said Cpl Petrice.

Evidence of the alleged abuse came to light when a set of photographs was left for processing at a shop in Tamworth, Staffordshire.

A film developer called police because she was "disturbed by the content".

The soldiers are being tried before Judge Advocate Michael Hunter and a panel of British officers in Osnabrueck, Germany, where their regiment is based.

The case continues.