CAIRO , May 11 (IslamOnline.net) – British forces in Iraq have shot and killed Iraqi civilians, including an eight-year-old girl, though they faced no apparent threat, Amnesty International said Tuesday, May 11, in a new report.

Many civilian killings went uninvestigated and only a few cases were probed secretly by the Royal Military Police, the report said, calling for a civilian-led investigation into all killings.

"Killings by U.K. armed forces, in situations where they should not be using lethal force, are examined in secrecy and behind closed doors," said the London-based international human rights watchdog.

"Instead of the U.K. Armed Forces deciding whether to investigate themselves when people are killed, there must be a full, impartial and civilian-led investigation into all allegations of killings by U.K. troops."

AI researchers interviewed families of the victims, eyewitnesses to the killings, Iraqi police officers and occupation officials responsible for law and order in February and March of this year.

One of the killings is that of eight-year-old Hanan Saleh Matrud, reportedly shot by a soldier from B Company of the First Battalion of the King's Regiment in August 2003.

An eyewitness said the child was killed when a soldier aimed and fired a shot at her from around 60 meters away.

Another case is that of Ghanem Kadhem Kati, 22, who was shot dead last January by trigger-happy British soldiers from only 50 yards away, while celebrating a family wedding.

Misguided

The report said the families of the victims are often misguided and given no or wrong information on how to lodge a compensation claim.

They were told, for instance, that responsibility for compensation would rest with a new Iraqi government.

"The Area Claims Officer, to whom claims must be submitted, is situated in an area difficult to access for ordinary civilians [ Basra airport] and there is little explanatory information provided on the claims process in English or in Arabic. As a result, people interviewed had little confidence in the compensation system," said Amnesty.

"Far from being liberated, the people of Iraq continue to live in fear and insecurity," the report concluded.  

Investigation

The report added insult to injury as its release coincided with a prisoner scandal that stigmatized the U.S. and British armed forces in Iraq .

British Defense Secretary Geoff Hoon told the House of Commons Monday, May 10, that 33 cases of Iraqi civilian deaths, injuries and mistreatment at the hands of British forces had either been investigated or were under investigation.

"Fifteen have already been resolved as having no case to answer, a further six are proceeding," he said, stressing that the British government had initiated the inquiries without any external "pressure".

"Two cases have reached an advanced stage with decisions on prosecution pending," he added.

Apologies by U.S. President George Bush  and his ally British Prime Minister Tony Blair have failed to water international outrage over the graphic photos  of abused Iraqi prisoners, which recently exploded onto the world stage.

One the photos published by the Daily Mirror showed a British soldier urinating on a hooded and handcuffed prisoner.

The photo is backed up by testimony from troops speaking to the paper on condition of anonymity.

U.S. mass-circulation the Washington Post also splashed Thursday, May 6, more abhorrent photos, saying it had obtained 1,000 digital shocking pictures.

One of the photos  showed a soldier holding a leash tied around the neck of a naked Iraqi detainee grimacing and lying on the floor.