British troops break up Iraq death squadDecember 22nd, 2006Basra, Iraq - British troops have broken up a death squad ring in Baghdad and arrested seven Iraqi police officers suspected of corruption. Over 1,000 British troops were involved in the dawn raid, backed up by tanks. The Serious Crime Unit was the target of the operation as the first stage in moves to disrupt and ultimately disband it. British forces in Basra say some commanders were using the unit as a cover for death squads and criminal activities which they controlled. A military spokesman has told the BBC that rather than solving serious crimes, the unit was carrying them out. In particular they suspect that the unit may have been complicit in the killing of 17 police academy employees who were murdered six weeks ago. Evidence including computer disks and hard drives was also seized, which will be used in the investigation into the allegations and to support any possible future prosecutions. BBC News |
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