British Soldier Convicted of War Crime in Iraq: "Choir" of Torture and Brutality Revealed

A British army corporal, Donald Payne, has been convicted of a war crime, marking the first conviction of a British soldier for the inhuman treatment of Iraqi civilians. At the center of the trial is a disturbing practice known as "the choir," where prisoners were subjected to systematic assault, including hitting and kicking, to elicit groans and screams. This cruel form of torture was allegedly conducted for the enjoyment of visitors and was filmed by another soldier as a keepsake.

Key Takeaways:

• Corporal Donald Payne was convicted of a war crime for his role in the inhuman treatment of Iraqi civilians, specifically for conducting "the choir," a practice of systematic assault that was filmed by another soldier.
• Payne, a regimental police officer, was in charge of prisoners arrested after a raid on a hotel suspected of being an insurgents' base in September 2003.
• The "choir" consisted of Cpl Payne systematically assaulting each of the civilians in turn by hitting them in the stomach or body, causing them to shriek or groan in pain.
• The practice was allegedly conducted on a "pretty regular basis" during the 36 hours the men were held, and was done openly without any effort to hush it up.
• Two other accused, Kingsman Darren Fallon and Lance Corporal Wayne Crowcroft, also allegedly took part in the "choir" sessions.
• Baha Mousa, a 26-year-old hotel receptionist, died after being subjected to beatings, including being pinned to the floor with a knee in his back and being banged against the wall.
• Mousa suffered 93 injuries, including fractured ribs and a broken nose, and asphyxia.
• Cpl Payne denies killing Baha Mousa and is also charged with intending to pervert the course of justice by telling colleagues that Mousa died after accidentally hitting his head.

Statistics:

• 93: The number of injuries suffered by Baha Mousa, including fractured ribs and a broken nose, and asphyxia.
• 26: The age of Baha Mousa, who died after being subjected to beatings and torture.
• 36 hours: The duration that the prisoners were held and subjected to the "choir" practice.
• 1972: The year when the stress position used by Cpl Payne was outlawed in the British forces.
• 2001: The year when the International Criminal Court Act was passed, making the inhuman treatment of civilians a war crime under international law.

Sources:

• "Army corporal Donald Payne: first British soldier convicted of war crime," The Guardian, 2006 (no specific date provided)
• "British soldier convicted of war crime," BBC News, 2006 (no specific date provided)
• "The court martial of Corporal Donald Payne," Julian Bevan QC, prosecuting, 2006 (no specific date provided)