Britain, Iraq play down raid dispute as police march

Iraqi police staged an angry anti-British protest in Basra yesterday as London and Baghdad sought to quell tension over a British raid to free two undercover soldiers held in the southern city.

About 200 policemen who work at the police station and jail damaged during Monday's British raid marched through the streets, calling for the city's police chief to be fired and for the "British terrorists" to be returned to Iraqi jurisdiction.

British forces raided the jail to free two undercover soldiers who were detained by Iraqi security forces following a firefight on Monday. In the raid, British armoured vehicles crushed the walls of the jail before troops rescued the men.

The British said the men were held by a militia group who had gained custody of them from police.

But Iraqi Interior Minister Bayan Jabor told the BBC the men had never left police custody, and were not handed to militants.

The Iraqi government said in a statement there was no crisis with Britain, but senior Iraqi officials have castigated the raid. Basra's provincial governor called it a "barbaric act".

In London, Iraqi Prime Minister Ibrahim Jaafari met British Defence Secretary John Reid to discuss the incident. The two told reporters diplomatic ties had not been harmed.

"It will not affect the relationship between Iraq and Britain," said Mr Reid, who is under pressure over the deployment of 8,500 troops and has faced calls for a withdrawal timetable.

Asked if British troops should not immediately withdraw, Mr Reid referred the question to Mr Jaafari, who said they should not.

Mr Reid said Britain had not changed its plan to keep its troops in Iraq until Iraqi security forces were strong enough to maintain security without them.

"We will not cut and run. We will not leave the job half done," Mr Reid said. "We will stand by Iraq when times are tough and we will be a committed friend, not a fair weather friend."

British soldiers described yesterday how they bailed out of a burning tank after it was attacked by a mob throwing bricks, stones and petrol bombs during the Basra unrest.

Speaking from his army base in Iraq, George Long described how his Warrior light tank was surrounded by angry Iraqis.