[It is easy for some paper to publish this and scream 'abuse' without even being anywhere near a battle zone-ed]

The Ministry of Defence has launched an investigation into video images which appeared to show UK soldiers brutally beating a group of Iraqi teenagers.

The News of the World has published pictures from a video the newspaper says was shot in southern Iraq in 2004.

Chancellor Gordon Brown said the abuse, if true, was “unacceptable”.

A military spokesman in Iraq condemned “all acts of abuse and brutality” by British troops, saying the allegations related to a “tiny number” of soldiers.

Alleged abuse

On the tape, described as a “secret home video”, an unidentified cameraman is heard laughing and urging his colleagues on. It was apparently filmed for fun by a corporal.

The Ministry of Defence said it was aware of the allegations, which are being investigated by the Royal Military Police.

Speaking on the BBC’s Sunday AM programme, Mr Brown said the “loyal, hard-working, decent troops” in Iraq would see the allegations as a “slight on their great work”.

Those responsible would be brought to trial.

British military spokesman Flight Lieutenant Chris Thomas, based in Basra, said: “We hope that the good relations that the multi-national forces have worked very hard to develop won’t be adversely affected by this material.”

He said the newspaper’s claims related “to only a tiny number of the 80,000 personnel that have served in Iraq”.

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