Birmingham human rights firm Public Interest Lawyers (PIL), along with the European Centre for Constitutional and Human Rights, has submitted a 250-page complaint to the International Criminal Court in the Hague, accusing UK military forces of committing war crimes during their 2003-08 operation in Iraq.

PIL managing partner Phil Shiner said that more than 400 Iraqi former detainees have brought allegations of abuse to the firm. Shiner added that foreign secretary William Hague says that ‘all the claims are being dealt with’.