Britain's only convicted war criminal has accused his superiors of routinely abusing and threatening civilian detainees in Iraq.

In a new disclosure in yet another controversial Iraq war torture case, former British officer Donald Payne said his commanding officers regularly tortured Iraqi prisoners to gain information.

Payne said he had witnessed Col Jorge Mendonca and a platoon commander, Lt Craig Rodgers, punching a group of prisoners, cocking pistols at them and even threatening to set them alight.

The ex-soldier was speaking at a public inquiry into the killing of Iraqi hotel worker Baha Mousa while in British custody in 2003.

Mousa was discovered with 93 wounds on his body after being in custody for more than 36 hours in a temporary detention centre controlled by Payne.

Payne has also admitted to have used violence against Iraqi detainees while trying to please his 'gung ho, trigger happy' superiors and that other soldiers emulated him.

A court martial in March 2007 had cleared Payne and six other soldiers, including Col Mendonca, of all charges such as manslaughter and perverting the course of justice.

However, new inquiries have revealed that Payne and other witnesses had lied to the police to protect each other.

The new testimony follows fresh reports that British soldiers tortured Iraqi civilians.

The Ministry of Defense says the Iraqis have so far reported 33 cases of alleged abuse, including claims of rape, torture and physical assault.

FF/TG/DT