THE Queen's Lanc-ashire Regiment has said its soldiers are in the clear over new video footage showing beating of Iraqi civilians.

After a newspaper printed pictures yesterday of the alleged abuse, a regiment spokesman said QLR soldiers were not in the country at the time the film was made, said to be in "early 2004".

The News of the World yesterday published photographs of what appeared to be British troops beating four young Iraqi men in the south of the country.

Regiment spokesman Roger Goodwin, said: "The incident is supposed to have taken place in 2004. The QLR was in Iraq from summer to late October 2003 so they weren't even in the country."

The regiment was at the centre of abuse claims in April 2004 when the Daily Mirror published pictures allegedly showing QLR members abusing Iraqi prisoners.

Within weeks the pictures were shown to be fake.

A Red Cross report then implicated the regiment in the death of Iraqi Baha Mousa in September 2003. Seven soldiers were charged over the death last summer, including Colonel Jorge Mendonca, commanding officer of QLR and Corporal Donald Payne, of Brierfield, who faces an allegation of manslaughter. The case is still outstanding.

East Lancashire MPs said abuse of Iraqi people must not be tolerated.

Hyndburn MP Greg Pope said: "Allegations of this kind affect everybody. I absolutely condemn acts of brutality against any Iraqis. I am sure the Army will co-operate with the investi-gation because they want to root out anybody involved in these acts if it is the case."

Ribble Valley MP Nigel Evans said: "It has to be fully investigated. On the face of it, it looks quite appalling. Yet again what we have is a small number of people appearing to go way beyond the law in carrying out their duties. It must not be allowed to reflect on the incredible job that the vast majority of our servicemen and women carry out."

Blackburn MP and Foreign Secretary Jack Straw declined to comment.

Salim Mulla, secretary of the Lancashire Council of Mosques, said: "The Govern-ment and Army have to deal with this very severely. I don't think it is going to do relations with the Muslim community any good."