[BurbankKarl]

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Hundreds of human remains found in makeshift morgue

Hundreds of human remains have been discovered in a "makeshift morgue" by British soldiers in southern Iraq.

The skulls, bundles of bone in strips of military uniform, were dumped in plastic bags and unsealed hardboard coffins in an abandoned Iraqi military base on the outskirts of Al Zubayr.

It was impossible to say how long the remains had lain there but the discovery will now be investigated by forensic specialists as possible evidence of atrocities perpetrated by the Iraqi regime.

The coffins were stacked five deep in a warehouse, and a neighbouring building contained apparent cells and catalogues of photographs of the dead, most of whom had died from gunshot wounds to the head.

Others were mutilated beyond recognition, their faces burned and swollen in the faded black and white photographs.

Outside stood what one soldier described as "a purpose-built shooting gallery".

A tiled foot-high plinth stood in a courtyard, with the brickwork behind it riddled with bullets.

Behind that lay a drainage ditch.

Inside the warehouse, one of the bags and coffins contained an identity card written in Arabic, while military webbing and boot soles were visible in others.

[seeker41]

Oh my heavens!

[this_ol_patriot]

Pictures on Sky now, this was not a makeshift wartime burial ground. Photos and catalogs of the goings on here.

[this_ol_patriot]

Place looks very dry and unused for sometime.

[stlnative]

Can you post the link to your source (I want to email it to someone) Thanks

[Prince Charles]

-MORE-

In another building, there was a picture of Saddam Hussein, what were believed to be prayer stones and metal hooks on racks hanging from the ceiling.

The discovery was made early Saturday by officers from the 3rd Regiment of the Royal Horse Artillery.

Captain Jack Kemp, who was the first man into the building, said he believed there were more than 200 coffins, with as many more plastic bags filled with remains.

He went into the building as part of a security check to make sure the area was safe for his troops.

"The first thing I was greeted by was approximately 200 makeshift coffins," said the 40-year-old from Fraddam, near Newquay, Cornwall, said.

"They contain bags, each labelled, and there's human remains inside the bags.

"I wouldn't like to speculate but the bones inside are obviously years old.

"It is certainly not from the recent conflict but it could be from the one before."

Last Updated: 13:06 UK, Saturday April 05, 2003