OTTAWA, March 19 (Reuters) - Canada's defense minister, in trouble over whether Taliban suspects captured by Canadian troops and handed over to Afghan authorities had then been abused, admitted on Monday he had misled Parliament about the matter.

Canada's military police complaints commission is probing allegations that on at least 18 occasions, Canadian officials handed over prisoners in the knowledge they might be tortured.

Defence Minister Gordon O'Connor, who said earlier this month that the International Committee of the Red Cross would inform Canada if any detainees were being mistreated, admitted that in fact this was not true.

He told the House of Commons that the Red Cross was only obliged to report its findings on the treatment of detainees to Afghan authorities.

"I fully and without reservation apologize to the House for providing inaccurate information to members. I regret any confusion that may have resulted from these statements," he said.

Misleading Parliament is taken seriously in Canada and several opposition legislators demanded O'Connor resign.

O'Connor flew to Afghanistan last week for talks with the country's independent human rights commission, which has promised to report any abuses of prisoners handed over by Canadian troops.

Separately, four investigations are under way into whether Canadian troops mistreated three Afghan men captured in April 2006. Canada has 2,500 soldiers based in the southern city of Kandahar.

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