'Courts martial could be in Iraq'

The MoD has stressed that most British troops deplore abuses

Courts martial for UK troops could be held in Iraq where the families of the alleged abuse victims would be able to watch the cases, MPs have heard.

A senior UK defence official said the hearings would ideally be held close to where the alleged incidents happened.

The Commons defence select committee were told there would need to be tight security but members of the public could still be able to attend.

The attorney-general this month said four men would face courts martial.

Crime scene

Martin Howard, director of operational policy at the Ministry of Defence (MoD), revealed on Wednesday that the number of cases being investigated by the Royal Military Police had risen from the 75 to 79 since last month.

He told the MPs the locations for any trials were likely to vary between Iraq and the UK.

He said: "The court martial would ideally be held close to the scene of the crime.

There may be stricter security in Iraq but, in principle, members of the public can attend Martin Howard MoD official

"That is obviously much easier, but it would depend on whether you have the right sort of legal representation and have got qualified people on the spot. In the case of Iraq, you probably have got the right people.

"In general, courts martial have the same sort of status as a crown court so, as I understand it, members of the public can attend.

"There may be stricter security in Iraq but, in principle, members of the public can attend."

Lessons for US troops?

The Deputy Chief of Defence Staff (Operations), Major General Nick Houghton, said the practical arrangements for courts martial would mean they would, if possible, be done in the UK.

He went on: "It would be quite possible to hold the court martial back in the UK but during proceedings it might be required for the presiding judge and the court martial to actually visit the scene."

Major General Houghton also suggested US forces were learning a more subtle approach to security problems from their British allies.

He said it would be "invidious" to blame the Americans for security problems in Iraq.

But he added: "It is also fair and absolutely justifiable to say that the Americans themselves on the ground have got a far greater understanding now of the benefits of some more subtle approaches to resolving particular situations.

"The placement of UK officers within the American chain of command has helped considerably in bringing a different dimension in terms of the approach to operations."

The way strategic control would be put in the hands of the new Iraqi government after the 30 June power transfer would also help ensure military action was "sympathetic to local circumstances", he argued.

Gen Houghton said British military planners were now looking at the possibility of reconfiguring the existing British troops in Iraq to provide a strategic reserve which could work outside the area of southern Iraq currently under UK control.