Britain’s defense ministry is investigating fresh complaints that its troops had abused prisoners in Iraq. News of the probe came after the Independent newspaper reported a lawyer acting for detainees had catalogued 33 new cases of abuse since the 2003 invasion.
The Pentagon has reversed a pledge to publish more photos of apparent abuse of terrorists and foreign troops in U.S. custody, according to CNN.
Court papers show Defense Secretary Robert Gates told the Supreme Court on Friday that he was issuing a court order to prevent the release of the 44 images.
A lower court had previously ruled that the photos be publicly disclosed. The images have been at the center of a yearlong legal action of the American Civil Liberties Union.
Gates’ court order covers all photos of people captured or detained in overseas military operations between Sept. 11, 2001 and Jan. 22, 2009.
Last month Congress gave the administration authority to block the images’ release and Gates signed a certificate of authorization then, claiming the images would endanger American troops serving overseas.
The Pentagon initially was set to release the images of Iraqi and Afghan prisoners in response to a Freedom of Information Act request filed by the ACLU.
