Police expose flaws in army's torture inquiry

A military investigation into one of the most notorious incidents of the Iraq conflict, in which British soldiers allegedly murdered and mutilated unarmed Iraqis, has been severely criticised by police called in to assess its credibility. A new inquiry has found that the Royal Military Police - who are responsible for investigating claims of wrongdoing by soldiers - failed to collect forensic evidence, ignored key witnesses and did not ask Iraqi witnesses relevant questions as they investigated the "Battle of Danny Boy" and its aftermath. The 120-page Greater Manchester police report into the RMP's Special Investigation Branch (SIB), which has been obtained by the Observer, concludes that some interviews with Iraqi detainees may have been conducted in an effort to justify their arrest, not to probe human rights abuses. The report is expected to be significant for a judicial review that will examine the Iraqi claims next week.