The British Daily Mirror newspaper on Friday apologized over the publication of "fake" photos that apparently showed British troops abusing Iraqi prisoners.

"The Daily Mirror published in good faith photographs which it absolutely believed were genuine images of British soldiers abusing an Iraqi prisoner," the paper said in a statement.

"However there is now sufficient evidence to suggest that these pictures are fakes and that the Daily Mirror has been the subject of a calculated and malicious hoax," the tabloid said.

"The Daily Mirror therefore apologizes unreservedly for publishing the pictures and deeply regrets the reputation damage done to the QLR (Queens Lancashire Regiment) and the Army in Iraq," it added.

Piers Morgan, Daily Mirror's editor who staunchly defended the photos, stepped down on Friday as the newspaper said it would be "inappropriate" for him to remain in his role as editor of the paper.

The move of the paper followed the British government's announcement on Thursday that pictures published by the tabloid that showed a hooded man being struck with a rifle butt, urinated on and having a gun held to his head, apparently by British soldiers, were "categorically not taken in Iraq."

The Daily Mirror published the pictures on May 1, days after images of US troops torturing and abusing Iraqi prisoners at Abu Ghraib prison near Baghdad were revealed.

Amid doubts raised by the government over the authenticity of the images, Morgan insisted that the pictures, which came from members of the Queen's Lancashire Regiment that was deployed in southern Iraq last year, "accurately illustrated the reality about the appalling conduct of some British troops."

(Xinhua News Agency May 15, 2004)