Two Territorial Army soldiers turn up at the Mirror newspaper with details of abuse of prisoners in Iraq. When told there was insufficient evidence they go away and turn up 2 days later with photos that they failed to mention at the 1st meeting. "Thank you very much - here's your £20 grand!"
BBC NEWS
Mirror photos 'not taken in Iraq'
Photos which appeared in the Daily Mirror apparently showing abuse of Iraqi detainees 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".
In a statement, the paper said "the pictures accurately illustrated the reality about the appalling conduct of some British troops".
Mr Ingram refused to say any more about the inquiry into the photos by the Royal Military Police 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 Mirror editor Piers Morgan "to assist fully in this inquiry".
Mr Ingram said he made that direct appeal to the Mirror after the paper had demanded the MoD and the Army adopt standards of "honesty, openness and professionalism".
"I challenge the Daily Mirror to do the same," he said.
But the Mirror claimed the photos were "just one piece of evidence about one incident" and it made "no apology" for highlighting "a much bigger issue".
However, the minister said the publication of the photos had impacted on the morale and safety of British armed forces.
He said troops had been injured by a petrol bomb thrown by children in Iraq, had been attacked by militiamen and a patrol suffered a grenade attack in Basra.
Those who were involved with the production of those photographs and those who have published them did a great wrong
Keith Simpson
He said these were three examples of the courage shown by armed forces in the conduct of their duties.
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).
The pictures appeared to show troops urinating on a prisoner and striking him with a rifle.
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 members 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".
He looked to the Daily Mirror board to take "appropriate action", he said.
Labour's David Borrow, MP for the Lancashire constituency of South Ribble, called for the Mirror to publish a front page apology to the QLR.
"It's an absolute disgrace that the Daily Mirror, in order to further its own political line and to damage the prime minister, has been prepared to besmirch the name of the Queens Lancashire Regiment," he said.
Mr Ingram also defended his earlier claim that he had not received the International Committee of the Red Cross report detailing alleged abuse by British troops of Iraqi prisoners.
To Tory jeers, he said: "That does not mean to say I was unaware of the issues and the actions being taken."
He reiterated his claim that he had not seen adverse reports relating to British treatment of Iraqis, even though Amnesty International claimed to have sent him details months before.
Mr Ingram said Amnesty had sent him only a one-page letter which did not amount to a report.
Colin Breed, for the Lib Dems, said: "Why were these reports, which were of obvious political significance, not shown to ministers and not reported to this House?"
Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/h...cs/3709289.stm