British military makes arrest in Iraqi youth beatingsLast Updated Mon, 13 Feb 2006 09:24:22 EST
CBC News

British military police have arrested one man in connection with a video allegedly showing British soldiers beating Iraqi youths.

• INDEPTH: Iraq

British Prime Minister Tony Blair, at a meeting in South Africa, responds to questions about the video taped beatings.

The military said it arrested the man on Sunday night, but has declined to identify him, refusing even to confirm whether he was a serving soldier or where the arrest was made.

Earlier on Sunday, British Prime Minister Tony Blair promised a full investigation into the video, stills from which were run in the Sunday edition of the British newspaper News of the World.

The newspaper did not reveal the source of the video, which was allegedly shot in southern Iraq in 2004.

Blair, attending a meeting in South Africa, said Britain takes the allegations of mistreatment seriously. They "will be investigated very fully indeed."

Blair also defended British soldiers.

"The overwhelming majority of British troops, in Iraq as elsewhere, behave properly, are doing a great job for our country and for the wider world."

Brig. Martin Rutledge, a British military spokesman, said the Royal Military Police had started an "urgent" investigation.

The video shows a group of soldiers chasing down stone-throwing youths, catching four and dragging them inside a walled compound where the soldiers beat the youths with batons and kicked them. The cameraman can be heard laughing as he watches the beatings and says, "Naughty little boys."

The paper said it was confident the video was genuine.

• FROM MAY 14, 2005: U.K. tabloid admits Iraq abuse photos fake

The video, broadcast on Arab satellite TV stations, sparked outrage in the Middle East.

Three British soldiers were jailed last year after being convicted of abusing prisoners in Iraq.

• FROM JULY 19, 2005: 3 British soldiers charged with war crimes in Iraq

About 8,000 British soldiers are serving in Iraq.