LONDON, Feb. 27 (UPI) -- Numerous charges, including murder arising from crimes committed in Iraq, may be filed against some 50 British troops, the London Telegraph reported Sunday.
Quoting secret military documents it had obtained, the newspaper said the allegations include two cases in which Iraqi civilians were allegedly deliberately drowned by soldiers.
Britain's Chief of the General Staff Gen. Mike Jackson announced last week a senior officer would conduct a wide ranging inquiry into the crimes committed by troops in Iraq.
The newspaper said the secret documents showed nearly three times as many soldiers face charges than has been admitted by the Ministry of Defense.
The documents showed that until Sept. 13, 2004, the Royal Military Police had carried out 137 investigations including shootings, road accidents, and allegations of corruption, murder and manslaughter.
At least 12 soldiers face charges of murder, manslaughter or assault, the newspaper said. That includes the SAS, the country's elite fighting force, where one of its men may be charged with murder.
