Merkel Furious Over Afghan Skull Pictures

The German chancellor, Angela Merkel, has expressed disgust today at pictures of German soldiers posing with a human skull in Afghanistan.

The series of pictures published in Bild, the biggest-selling daily, included a smiling German soldier posing with the skull on a jeep and a soldier holding the skull next to his exposed penis. The newspaper said it was unclear where the skull came from, but quoted an unidentified military source saying it may have come from a mass grave outside the capital Kabul. The paper said the pictures were apparently taken three years ago.

"We all saw pictures today that are shocking, that are repugnant and that can be excused by nothing," Ms Merkel said during a speech in Berlin. "The government will investigate the soldiers who play a role and act with full severity."

Germany has more than 2,800 troops in NATO's international security assistance force (ISAF), serving in Afghanistan.

The defence minister, Josef Jung, could not confirm the authenticity of the images but has ordered an investigation. "It is totally clear and unquestionable that such behaviour by German soldiers cannot in any way be tolerated," he said, adding that he hoped the photos would not complicate relations with the people of Afghanistan. "One has to see one thing clearly - so far, the mission we have been carrying out in the north has met with broad approval from the population," he said.

The German army said two possible suspects had been identified and were being investigated, and included a soldier and a former soldier. The offenders could face charges of disturbing the peace of the dead, if found guilty.

The US attorney general, Alberto Gonzales, visiting Berlin, also called for a thorough investigation of the photos. "Sometimes things happen which are not supposed to. We condemn that," he told Handelsblatt newspaper.