Trial starts of seven British troops over Iraq death

BULFORD CAMP, England, Sep 19 (Reuters) Seven British soldiers today faced court martial over the death in custody three years ago of an Iraqi hotel receptionist in the southern Iraq city of Basra.

Baha Musa died after he was arrested by a British patrol.

The seven face charges ranging from manslaughter to negligence.

Judge Stuart McKinnon ruled that no pictures or descriptions of them, or any indication where they live, could be published by media. He said this was for fear of possible revenge attacks on the soldiers or their families.

Britain, Washington's main ally in Iraq, has investigated scores of deaths and injuries of Iraqis since joining the US-led invasion of Iraq in 2003.

Three British soldiers were jailed in February 2005 for abusing Iraqi detainees in a case which drew comparisons with the mistreatment of Iraqis by US troops at the Abu Ghraib prison.

Corporal Donald Payne, 35, is charged with manslaughter, inhumane treatment and perverting the course of justice, while Sergeant Kelvin Stacey, 29, is charged with assault causing actual bodily harm.

Lance Corporal Wayne Crowcroft, 22, and Private Darren Fallon, 23, are charged with the inhumane treatment of detainees, while Major Michael Peebles, 35, Warrant Officer Mark Davies, 37, and Colonel Jorge Mendonca, 42, are charged with negligently performing a duty.

The soldiers were all serving with the Queen's Lancashire Regiment at the time.

The trial at the Bulford army camp near Salisbury, some 70 miles southwest of London, is expected to last up to four months.

REUTERS DKS KP1819