Soldiers may be charged over Iraqi death in custody

Army prosecutors have been asked to bring charges against a number of soldiers after the death of an Iraqi civilian prisoner in British custody in Iraq.

Army prosecutors have been asked to bring charges against a number of soldiers after the death of an Iraqi civilian prisoner in British custody in Iraq.

Military police have been investigating the deaths of six civilians held by the British in Basra - four of which occurred during two weeks in May, two on the same day. One of the six cases has been referred to the Army Prosecuting Authority - the equivalent of the Crown Prosecution Service - indicating that the military authorities believe there is a case to answer.

The Authority will consider whether there is enough evidence to bring charges.

The Independent on Sunday revealed last month that 10 deaths of Iraqi civilians caused by British soldiers were being investigated - six of which occurred in British custody. The revelations followed an account by our Middle East correspondent, Robert Fisk, of the death of Baha Mousa, 26, who died after being arrested by the British authorities in September. He had been returned to his family covered in bruises and with a broken nose.

Also being investigated is the case of Abd al-Jabbar Mousa, 53, whose family says he was repeatedly hit with a rifle butt as he was taken away for questioning last May.

Following parliamentary questions tabled by the Labour MP Harry Cohen and the Plaid Cymru MP Adam Price, the Ministry of Defence has named the other dead - Ahmed Jabber Kareem, Said Shabrahm and Hassan Abbad Said.

No other details of the individuals have been released. Nor has the MoD said which case has been referred to the prosecuting authority, or what charges are being considered.

The investigation into the sixth death, that of Radhi Natna, who died of a heart attack, has been completed, with no further action.

Until December, British prisoners were taken to the American Camp Bucca in Um Qasr. The MoD said prisoners arrested by the British were kept in "a secure and discrete facility" within the camp.

At Christmas the British opened their own detention centre in Basra.