Blair admits Iraq abuse immensely damaging

British Prime Minister Tony Blair admitted on Wednesday that the alleged abuse of Iraqi prisoners byUS and British troops has been immensely damaging.

Facing questions over accusations that one of his ministers misled parliament over abuse of Iraqis by British troops, Blair told the lawmakers he agreed that "the events of the past few dayshave been immensely damaging" and "any abuse by any coalition forces is completely unacceptable."

However, during his appearance at the House of Commons, lower house of the parliament, Blair rejected allegations that his ministers had covered up reports on the mistreatment by British troops of prisoners in Iraq.

"There is no evidence whatever either of systematic abuse or ofministers or anyone else refusing to act on allegations of abuse,"Blair said, stressing that he only saw the report on Monday, but failing to explain why the report reached senior ministers only this month.

The International Committee of the Red Cross said it passed a report to British officials, which detailed mistreatment of Iraqi captives by US and British soldiers, as early as in February.

Blair's comments draw criticism from the opposition Conservative Party leader Michael Howard, who said "how can the people of this country have confidence in this prime minister and his government?"

"The prime minister has failed to give any explanation for why he did not see this crucial report, which was presented to his special envoy to Iraq, for nearly three months," Howard said.

The abuse scandal has spiraled in recent days following disclosure of new photos showing Iraqi detainees being tortured byUS troops.

On the alleged torture the US forces inflicted on Iraqis, former British Archbishop of Canterbury George Carey feared that the shameful, horrible and degrading photographs might tarnish theimage of the West in the eyes of the Arab world.

Source: Xinhua