Military police investigate claims of British troops abusing

[Bernkastel]

From the Guardian. I hope that this investigation results in justice.

Military police have launched an investigation into claims that British soldiers abused two children during their tour of duty in Afghanistan.

The Ministry of Defence confirmed an inquiry had begun into two soldiers from the Mercian Battle Group, which is serving a six-month stint in the country. The Sun newspaper reported that the men, who were from lower ranks, had been arrested for allegedly abusing a boy and a girl, who were aged about 10.

The soldiers are said to have filmed separate incidents then showed the footage to other servicemen on their laptop computers. Colleagues complained about their behaviour and the pair were arrested and several laptops seized, the Sun said.

It reported one source as saying what the military had to "establish is whether we are looking at sexual predatory behaviour or totally ill-judged larking about".

It is believed to be the first time British soldiers in Afghanistan have been accused of this kind of abuse. The MoD said the matter was being taken "extremely seriously". "We are aware that an allegation has been made concerning alleged inappropriate behaviour by two servicemen in Afghanistan," the MoD said. "The Royal Military Police & has launched an investigation into this. We take any such allegation extremely seriously. It would be inappropriate to comment further while an investigation is ongoing."

Apart from the serious nature of the allegations, military chiefs will want to have a speedy inquiry and, if necessary, secure prosecutions. They will be horrified by the PR gift to the Taliban – the British counterinsurgency strategy in Helmand depends upon bonds of trust developing between local people and the security forces, and these revelations will likely be seized upon by the Taliban to undermine this work.

The disclosure comes a week after a film emerged of US Marines urinating on dead Taliban fighters, provoking uproar at a politically delicate time, with diplomats hoping to make headway in talks with the Taliban.
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[Lord of the Abyss]

The soldiers are said to have filmed separate incidents then showed the footage to other servicemen on their laptop computers.

<snip>

The disclosure comes a week after a film emerged of US Marines urinating on dead Taliban fighters, provoking uproar at a politically delicate time, with diplomats hoping to make headway in talks with the Taliban.

What is it with idiots filming themselves doing things like this?!

[Zixinus]

I guess cameras just make you more stupid?

What's worrying, is that if these incidents and criminal behavior is caught only because the perpetrators filmed themselves doing it, what about possible examples when it did happen but no one filmed it?

I mean, what will an Afghan rape victim do if she got raped by a British soldier?

[Lonestar]

What is it with idiots filming themselves doing things like this?!

Man, I don't know.

I actually had someone defend both the peeing and goat beating videos with "well they didn't THINK it would end up on the Internets"

Right like I'm sure those Abu Gharib retards didn't think their photo album wouldn't end up on the internet neither. Holy shit, how hard is it to wrap one's head around "if you don't want people seeing you act like an asshole DON'T FUCKING DOCUMENT IT".



(The above is not to be construed as me giving blessings towards uniformed servicemen acting like assholes if they aren't videotaping/photographing it)

[Simon_Jester]

This is inevitable, with cameras so cheap and common. When soldiers commit an atrocity, the odds of some sociopathic freak who thinks it's funny and wants to preserve it for posterity having a camera goes up. Then he shows it to a few people online (because he doesn't get that it's disturbing and can get him in trouble), and out it goes.

And there's always going to be a share of loonies like that in the armed forces, or at least I can't see a way to keep them out of it.