LONDON, Feb 12: The British government on Sunday faced fresh controversy over the conduct of its troops in Iraq after a tabloid newspaper published video footage purporting to show savage abuse of young Iraqis.

“We take seriously any allegation of mistreatment and these will be investigated,” British Prime Minister Tony Blair told reporters at a poverty summit in South Africa on Sunday.

“They are doing a great job for our country and for the wider world. Their presence there under United Nations resolutions, helping Iraq to become the democracy they want to be, is of fundamental importance.”

The ministry of defence had ordered on Saturday an “urgent investigation” into the video, reported in the mass-circulation News of the World, in which a group of teenagers are seen to be ruthlessly attacked by soldiers.

The newspaper said that the scenes were filmed by a corporal who can be heard encouraging his colleagues — described by the tabloid as “a rogue squad of British soldiers” — in a running commentary.

The fuzzy video showed the troops dragging four young protesters off a street and into an army compound where they were punched, kicked and hit with batons, the report said.

Earlier on Sunday, Blair’s finance chief Gordon Brown expressed outrage.

“If it is true, this is unacceptable behaviour. Those who are responsible will be brought to trial,” Mr Brown told BBC television.

He added: “The people who will be most annoyed about this are our loyal hard-working, decent troops... 80,000 of whom have served with great distinction in Iraq and in that region.”

The video tape — thought to have been made in 2004 during street riots in southern Iraq, where British forces are concentrated — is said to show a minute’s worth of the attack, with 42 blows counted.

The News of the World claimed the video’s cameraman could be heard laughing and saying: “Oh yes! Oh Yes! You’re gonna get it. Yes, naughty little boys. You little … (expletive deleted), you little …. Die. Ha Ha.”

Labour lawmaker and backbencher Jeremy Corbyn called for troops alleged to be involved to be suspended.

“It’s not a one-off, it’s not isolated, it’s not in detention, it’s a group of soldiers attacking an individual for whatever reason in a very brutal manner,” Corbyn said.

According to the newspaper, the tape was shown at the troops’ home base in Europe before being handed over by a whistleblower. It added that the footage also shows a soldier kicking the body of a dead Iraqi in the face.

It did not identify the regiment involved.—AFP