OSNABRUECK, Feb 26: Three British soldiers were jailed and dishonourably dismissed from the army on Friday for abusing Iraqi civilians in a case compared with the mistreatment of prisoners by US guards at the infamous Abu Ghraib prison.

In London, Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon and army chief General Mike Jackson apologized to all Iraqis, including those who were abused, after the sentencing of the soldiers, who received terms of between five months and two years.

Gen Jackson said he had been "appalled and disappointed" when he first saw the photographs of the Iraqi victims produced as evidence at the trial.

Mr Hoon said he was "profoundly disturbed" by the photographs, adding that he agreed with Gen Jackson "that the incidents depicted do not reflect typical behaviour standards of the British Army.

He said 22 soldiers in all, including those sentenced on Friday, were involved in abuse allegations.

"The army sets high standards and demand that they are met. The recent court martial has demonstrated that those who fail to meet those standards are called to account," Mr Hoon said.

"The vast majority of service men and women do, however, perform to the very highest of standards. Their service in Iraq has been outstanding and we are right to be proud of this," the defence minister said.

The most senior of the trio sentenced here, Corporal Daniel Kenyon, 33, was given an 18-month prison sentence after being found guilty of three charges, including failing to report the mistreatment of captured looters at an aid camp near Basra in May 2003.

Lance Corporal Mark Cooley, 25, was sentenced to two years in jail after being found guilty of two charges, including driving a forklift truck with a bound Iraqi suspended from the prongs.

A photograph of the helpless Iraqi dangling from the forklift was among a series of photos taken by soldiers at the aid camp known as Camp Bread Basket.

The third defendant, Lance Corporal Darren Larkin, 30, was sentenced to 140 days, just under five months, in jail after he pleaded guilty to assault. He had been pictured standing on an Iraqi.-AFP