Former corporal Donald Payne told the public inquiry into Mr Mousa's death he witnessed Lieutenant Craig Rodgers pretending to set a young detainee alight.

He also claimed that he saw every member of the unit commanded by Lt Rodgers, known by the call sign G10A, ''forcefully kick and/or punch'' the group of Iraqi prisoners that included Mr Mousa.

Hotel receptionist Mr Mousa, 26, died in Basra, southern Iraq, on September 15 2003 while in the custody of the former Queen's Lancashire Regiment (QLR) having suffered 93 separate injuries.

Payne, a former QLR provost corporal, became the first member of the UK armed forces to be convicted of a war crime when he pleaded guilty at a court martial to inhumanely treating civilians.

He told the inquiry today he had until now covered up the extent of the abuse of Iraqis by British soldiers out of ''misguided loyalty''.

He said in a statement: ''I now disclose that in adopting the routine I did each time I returned to the temporary detention facility to ensure the detainees were awake, the degree of force I applied was greater than I have so far admitted.

''Moreover at one time or another I saw all the members of the multiple in call sign G10A emulate me.

''I have seen each one, including Lt Rodgers, forcefully kick and/or punch the detainees in the period between September 14 and 16 2003.

''Further, during the morning of Monday September 15, I observed Lieutenant Rodgers place a jerry can of petrol in front of the young boy.

''He poured water over him and then lit a match. This took place in the middle room. Another member of the multiple was with Lt Rodgers but I do not now recall his identity.''

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The poor man Baha Mousa left behind two little children and a wife... His picture accompanies the story here...

British officer 'threatened to set fire to detainee' - Telegraph

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and people get surprised when I mention to them that Britain is a collapsing society and as a nation it will be on its knees within 20 years... specially if this kind of behaviour by its army and its government continues... It is the most important warning signs about their impending collapse... Enemies of Britain dont have to do anything they are bringing about their own destruction...