The British army officer alleged to have abused prisoners during the Iraq war says he is confident he will be cleared by a Ministery of Defence (MoD) investigation.
Belfast-born Lieut Col Tim Collins commander of the 1st Battalion of the Royal Irish Regiment and since promoted, told the Daily Mirror: "I'm astonished. I am confident my good name will be restored".
Speaking from his home in Canterbury, Kent, Col Collins said he had "no idea how they [the allegations] came about.
"I have not been personally made aware of the allegations, but I understand they have been made. The first I heard was in a phone call on Tuesday telling me they were in the next day's press".
Col Collins (43) is accused of breaching the Geneva Convention in his treatment of Prisoner of War and an Iraqi civic leader.
MoD sources yesterday confirmed the complaint was made by an US officer.
Col Collins delivered a rousing address to his men hours before they went into battle against Saddam Hussein's forces. The speech earned him praise from the Prince of Wales and was admired by US president George W. Bush.
Col Collins is now being investigated by the British army's Special Investigations Branch, and it is understood the investigation is well under way.