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| Britain |
| UK Government: Mirror abuse photos ARE fakes! |
| 2004-05-13 |
| Photos which appeared in the Daily Mirror apparently showing abuse of an Iraqi detainee were "categorically not taken in Iraq", Adam Ingram told MPs. The defence minister said the truck in the photos had never been in Iraq. But the Daily Mirror said Mr Ingram had "not produced incontrovertible evidence that the pictures are faked". The paper’s editor said "the pictures accurately illustrated the reality about the appalling conduct of some British troops". Or, in other words: "buy the Mirror for bullsh1t.". But BBC Political Editor Andrew Marr said senior officers had claimed the photographs were actually taken at a Territorial Army Barracks in Preston, Lancashire. He said Mirror editor Piers Morgan told him on Thursday "there were ’two hopes for my resignation - no hope and Bob Hope’, which gives you some sense of the boneheaded stupidity crumbling sense of contrition inside Mr Morgan". Mr Ingram refused to say any more about the Royal Military Police inquiry into the photos because criminal offences may have been committed. He said he was disturbed that troops were being vilified before facts were established. He also called on Mr Morgan "to assist fully in this inquiry". The editor claims he has cooperated. Mr Morgan insists the photos were "just one piece of evidence about one incident" and his paper made "no apology" for being The Military Police’s special investigations branch has been investigating the Mirror photos of alleged abuse by soldiers in the Queen’s Lancashire Regiment (QLR). Brigadier Geoff Sheldon of the QLR said the regiment was "deeply troubled" by the allegations. "We know it’s not true so the feeling is one of disappointment, anger, irritation," he told the BBC. Mr Ingram told MPs the "very high name of the QLR has been dragged through the mud by the Mirror" and he understood the anger of the regiment and their families. "Those pictures were categorically not taken in Iraq," he said. "I can also tell the House this is not only the opinion of the special investigations’ branch investigators - it has been independently corroborated. "The truck in which the photos were taken was never in Iraq. "Those involved may have committed criminal offences under military law which are the proper subject of on-going investigations by the RMP." Tory defence spokesman Keith Simpson said: "Those who connived with the production of those photographs and those who have published them did a great wrong." He said the "good name and possibly the lives" of British troops "have been traded for what now appear to be cheap news headlines". Bye bye Piers. Don’t let the door... |
| Posted by:Bulldog |
| #1 Well he's not known as Piers Moron for nothing. You'd have thought that the meedja would now be very cautious about stories coming out of Iraq, surely the humiliating spectacle of the CSM actually having to apologize to Gorgeous George* would have drummed the message 'be damn sure of your info before going public' into even the thickest of skulls? *For those outside the UK George Galloway has now founded a coalition called Respect (no, I'm serious!) Cos you've got to respect a man who can kiss Nawaz Sharif's arse so eloquently! |
| Posted by: Dave (UK) 2004-05-13 5:44:03 PM |