London - Scotland Yard is investigating war crimes allegations made against Iraqi president Saddam Hussein.
The investigation centres on more than 4,500 Britons taken hostage in Iraq and Kuwait at the start of the Gulf War and evidence collated by London-based group Indict, which campaigns for the indictment of Iraqi war criminals.
However the move was condemned by the Metropolitan Police Federation, which accused Indict of using up scant police resources with "posture politics of the worst kind".
Indict first handed its evidence to Attorney General Lord Williams of Mostyn, who referred the case to police for further investigation.