Abuse scandal rocks US army

2004-05-05 09:21

Washington - The US administration fended off mounting criticism of a prison abuse scandal in Iraq on Tuesday as it was revealed that two detainees were illegally killed.

The two alleged homicides were among 25 deaths in US military custody in Iraq or Afghanistan investigated since December 2002, an army officer said.

Major General Donald Ryder, the army's chief law enforcement officer, said another detainee was killed while trying to escape and 10 other deaths were still under investigation.

One soldier was found guilty of homicide for shooting an Iraqi who threw rocks at him, a military spokesperson said. A CIA contractor killed a detainee at the now-notorious Abu Ghraib prison on November 3, he added.

The contractor's case has been handed over to the US attorney general's department as the military has no jurisdiction.

Despite the five military investigations that have already been started, US lawmakers have called for a congressional inquiry.

The Senate Armed Services Committee summoned defence department officials for a hearing on Tuesday and the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence will hold a closed hearing on the abuse Wednesday.

Carl Levin, the top Democrat on the armed services committee, said Congress must launch its own probe.

"I don't think we can assume that all the investigation that is necessary is going on," he said.

"I think we have a very heavy responsibility of oversight in the Congress, to make sure that there is a thorough investigation, that there is no cover up."

Senator John Warner, the Republican chairman of the committee said the abuse scandal was one of the most serious to hit the US army.

Breakdown in dicsipline

"I have been privileged to be associated with the military for over a half century and on this committee for 25 years now, and this is as serious a problem of breakdown in discipline as I've ever observed," Warner said.

The United States has faced international demands for an inquiry, and particular anger in the Arab world, after the photographs were shown around the globe.

The images showed inmates at the Abu Ghraib prison outside Baghdad, some naked, in humiliating poses. US military personnel were seen pointing and laughing at prisoners.

Seven US officers have already been reprimanded over the Abu Ghraib prisoner abuse and six soldiers face criminal charges.

Defence Secretary Rumsfeld called the images of mistreatment "deeply disturbing."

Rumsfeld said the 20 000 troops who were made to stay longer than originally scheduled, would be replaced by fresh units.

- AFP