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Officer in Iraq war crimes probe
LONDON, England -- A senior British army officer is being investigated over alleged war crimes in Iraq, UK defense officials said Wednesday. Defense sources identified the officer as Lt. Col. Tim Collins, whose stirring speech to troops on the eve of battle drew praise from Prince Charles and U.S. President George W. Bush. The sources said the army's Special Investigations Branch is investigating allegations that Collins may have broken the Geneva Convention in his treatment of Iraqis. "We can confirm that an investigation is being conducted into allegations that have been made against a British officer who was serving in Iraq, the UK defense ministry said. "We cannot comment further because of the risk of compromising the investigation." The Sun newspaper, which reported the allegations, said Collins denied any wrongdoing. The newspaper said Collins was being accused of punching, kicking and threatening Iraqi prisoners of war and pistol-whipping an Iraqi civic leader. Collins, 43, was commanding officer of the 1st Battalion of the Royal Irish Regiment during the Iraq war. He was often seen with a cigar clenched between his teeth and wearing a pair of sunglasses. He galvanized his troops on the eve of battle with a speech in Kuwait in which he urged them to do their duty while treating the enemy with respect. "There are some who are alive at this moment who will not be alive shortly. ... Those who do not wish to go on that journey we will not send. As for the others, I expect you to rock their world," he said. "Wipe them out if that is what they choose. But if you are ferocious in battle remember to be magnanimous in victory. "If you harm the regiment or its history by over-enthusiasm in killing or in cowardice, know it is your family who will suffer. You will be shunned unless your conduct is of the highest." Prince Charles was so impressed by the speech that he wrote a personal note to Collins to say how "profoundly moved" he was by the "extraordinarily stirring, civilized and humane" words. Bush was reported to have had a copy of the speech pinned to the wall of his Oval Office in the White House. Last week, human rights group Amnesty International said it had received about 20 complaints from Iraqi civilians and soldiers accusing British and American troops of torture, Reuters reported. The group said it was still collecting witness statements and had not corroborated reports of beatings and electric shock treatment or raised the matter with the authorities.
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