BRITAIN: A senior British army officer hailed for his inspirational leadership during the Iraq war is being investigated over alleged war crimes, the British Ministry of Defence confirmed yesterday.
Allegations against Lieut Col Tim Collins, from Belfast, are understood to have been made by an American military colleague. Lieut Col Collins, who headed the 600-strong Royal Irish Regiment in southern Iraq, has been accused of breaching the Geneva Conventions through ill-treatment of prisoners of war.
"We can confirm that an investigation is being conducted into allegations that have been made against an officer who served in Iraq," a ministry spokesman said. "We cannot comment further because of the risk of compromising the allegations."
The ministry refused to say what the allegations involved but it was reported yesterday that he was being accused of punching, kicking and threatening Iraqi prisoners of war and of pistol-whipping one Iraqi civic leader.
Lieut Col Collins, who was promoted a full colonel during the war and is being considered for a gallantry award, could not be reached for contact yesterday but the Sun newspaper said he denied the allegations.
The cigar-chomping, sunglass-wearing soldier was widely praised for an inspirational speech made in Kuwait on the eve of war in which he exhorted his troops to be ferocious in battle but magnanimous in victory.
Standing on top of a tank to address his men, Lieut Col Collins said: "There are some who are alive at this moment who will not be alive shortly. Those who do not wish to go on that journey, we will not send. As for the others, I expect you to rock their world.
"Wipe them out if that is what they choose. But if you are ferocious in battle, remember to be magnanimous in victory."
He reminded his soldiers that the enemy had the right under international law to surrender, and would one day return to their families. If a soldier took a life needlessly, he would be left "with the mark of Cain upon them".
"If you harm the regiment or its history by over-enthusiasm in killing or in cowardice, know it is your family who will suffer," he said. "You will be shunned unless your conduct is of the highest."
A copy of the speech was reportedly tacked to the wall of President Bush's office while Prince Charles wrote to him to praise his "stirring, civilised and humane" words.
The Ministry of Defence said it would not release any details of the investigation, which was expected to include the questioning of witnesses in Britain and Iraq, until it was completed.
Last week, human rights group Amnesty International said it had received about 20 complaints from Iraqi civilians and soldiers accusing British and American troops of torture. The group said it was still collecting witness statements and had not corroborated reports of beatings and electric shocks.