German officers questioned over Afghan skull photos

BERLIN, Oct 29 (Reuters) Senior German officers are being questioned as part of an investigation into the desecration of human skulls by German soldiers in Afghanistan, a Defence Ministry spokesman said today.

Germany on Friday suspended two soldiers for their involvement in the desecration, two days after the top-selling Bild newspaper first published pictures of soldiers striking a variety poses with human remains.

''It is normal that in the course of examination there are interviews with superiors but this does not mean they are under suspicion,'' the ministry spokesman said.

Yesterday, Bild published new photographs, including one purporting to show a German soldier carrying out a mock execution of a skeleton assembled from various human remains.

Chancellor Angela Merkel has vowed to seek out and punish those responsible for the desecrations.

The images emerged as Merkel's government unveiled a new long-term national security policy which sees an increasingly important role for German armed forces outside Germany.

But as the German armed forces make a bigger commitment to peace-keeping in trouble spots like Afghanistan and Congo, fears have grown troops could now be exposed to greater dangers.

On Thursday, Germany told its embassies to tighten security measures due to concerns the photos could harm its image abroad.

REUTERS PB RK2343