Britain's mass-circulation Daily Mirror newspaper carrys a photo claimed to show British troops abusing an Iraqi prisoner in a camp near Basra, southern Iraq, May 1, 2004. (Xinhua photo)

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    LONDON, May 1 (Xinhuanet) -- British Prime Minister Tony Blair said Saturday that any abuse of Iraqi prisoners by American or British troops would be "completely and totally unacceptable."

    If the pictures, published by the Daily Mirror newspaper apparently showing the torture of an Iraqi prisoner by British soldiers, prove to be genuine, Blair said he would "condemn it utterly."

    "We went to Iraq to get rid of that sort of thing, not to do it," he said.

    "I think anyone would be sickened by any thought that coalition troops had abused Iraqi prisoners," Blair told Sky News TV.

    However, he said if there had been any abuse it was "exceptional," and should not detract from the good work being done by British troops in Iraq.

    The British Ministry of Defense announced on Friday night a probe into the abuse allegations. The concerned photos show a suspected Iraqi prisoner was beaten and urinated on by British soldiers. It is also alleged during his 8-hour ordeal he was threatened with execution, his jaw broken and his teeth smashed. Enditem