London: A team of British forensic scientists investigating mass graves in Iraq have come to the conclusion that there could be as many as 70 grave sites throughout the country, accommodating the remains of as many as 300,000 murdered people.

The team is from a charitable organisation called the Inforce Foundation, based at the University of Bournemouth on the South coast of England. It is described as an "international forensic centre of excellence for the investigation of genocide", and is a world leader in its field. Its team of eight in Iraq covers expertise in geophysics, anthropology, archaeology, surveying and photography. They were invited to go there in May by the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office in response to humanitarian need and to protect evidence.

Their initial briefing was to determine the scope of the task involved in investigating mass graves. They were told there were about 25 known sites. When they got to Iraq, that estimate had risen to 30 to 40, and now, in the light of what they have found out so far, they believe the true figure is nearer 70. On that estimate, the number of murdered people must be at least 300,000, they believe. Professor Margaret Cox, who leads the team, commented, "It would appear that the old regime was propped up with the bones of the Iraqi people buried beneath its sands."

The scientists have been working at Hilla and Musayib, South West of Baghdad. They say they have been received warmly and have had many requests for assistance. They have been impressed by the way local communities have taken charge of recovering their dead and creating memorials.

However, in order to recover all the evidence, communities need advice, assistance and training – and that is where Inforce has a role. As well as this humanitarian work, it is providing forensic input to the Coalition Provisional Authority to help it develop a policy on how to deal with the mass grave legacy. This involves the recovery of evidence of the highest standard to be used in courts, and to help the new Iraq take control of the mass graves.

At present, the Inforce team is on its own in Iraq. Living in what was a palace, whose air conditioning was destroyed by American bombs, with the temperature rising above 40 degrees celsius and "tummy bugs" taking their toll. They work long hours under a burning sun helping local families to be reunited with their dead.

Additional forensic teams from Argentina and the United States are said to be on their way, but Cox believes that there are probably no more than 20 forensic scientists in the world with the expertise that this work of genocide investigation requires.

ANI