THREE Asian men from East Lancashire have launched a ground-breaking racial discrimination claim against the Army, we can reveal today.

Waheed Anwar, Quisar Akbar and Shazaad Ahmed have begun their own battle after saying they suffered a catalogue of abuse at the hands of military officers.

An internal inquiry has also been launched by army bosses after the men claimed they suffered severe mental stress from "constant racial taunts" during training exercises.

They are making a joint claim for racial discrimination in a bid to highlight the "fallacy" of the Army - which prides itself on being an equal opportunities employer - being non-discriminatory.

The trio, who had each enlisted to join the Scots Guards, were together during their foundation training at the Army Training Regiment at Pirbright, Surrey, in February, which should have lasted four weeks.

Mr Anwar, 23, of Whalley Range, Blackburn, told the Lancashire Evening Telegraph that he was the victim of physical and verbal abuse at the hands of senior instructors. He left after only three days. Mr Ahmed, 20, of Accrington, left after only five days, while Mr Akbar, 18, of Gorse Road, Blackburn, lasted a couple of weeks.

Mr Anwar said: "I am determined to take this all the way and I don't care if it takes four or five years. I was just so pleased to get away.

"There is no doubt we were singled out because of our race."

He also claimed:

His throat was squeezed by a senior officer and he was pushed against a wall, hurting his back.

He was badly cut as he was used as a 'model' in a demonstration on how to shave properly.

He was threatened with jail if he did not continue an exercise routine - despite severe chest pains.

After starting his training Mr Akbar was told he had asthma and was put in the "casuals" section to await discharge as he was medically unfit.

But during that time he claimed he suffered a torrent of four-letter racist abuse from officers.

He said: "They made comments like: 'Are you going to be praying five times a day? Does your father own a corner shop? How do I ask for a curry in your language?'

"These comments were derogatory to me and I was deeply offended.

"I could not believe the attitude of these instructors whose only motivation seemed to be racial hatred.

"I really wanted to succeed in my military career and now having returned home I feel a disgrace in the eyes of the community. "Several of my friends were considering joining the Army, but I have told them to suspend their applications."

Their legal adviser, Yasin Mohammed, of Roger Pickles and Co, Richmond Terrace, Blackburn, said: "This has been a very distressing experience for these young men."

The Army's racial harassment policy says that racist jokes and "inappropriate nicknames" are unacceptable.

An Army spokesman said: "We can confirm that an internal investigation is taking place.

"From the moment the Army became aware of an alleged problem the recruiting organisation in Lancashire took swift action by visiting all sets of parents of the men concerned.

"An internal investigation was then set up within 24 hours."

He said the Army had recently launched a comprehensive action plan to increase the number of ethnic minority soldiers.

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