White House denounces abuse

2004-04-30 20:45

Washington - The White House on Friday denounced the alleged abuse of Iraqi prisoners by United States forces, saying the US "will not tolerate" such behaviour and vowing that those responsible will be punished.

"We cannot tolerate it," said spokesperson Scott McClellan.

"The military is taking strong action against the individuals responsible for these despicable acts."

US President George W Bush has known about the allegations of misconduct "for a while" and expects "appropriate action to be taken against these individuals," he said. "We will not tolerate it."

Asked whether he feared anti-US fallout from widely disseminated photographs and television footage of the abuse, McClellan replied: "It does not represent what we stand for."

The general in charge of the US-run prison system in Iraq has been suspended and is under investigation for the alleged abuse of Iraqi detainees by US soldiers, said a senior US military officer.

Brigadier-General Janis Karpinski, head of the 800th military police brigade, was suspended in late January after six US soldiers were indicted in March for mistreating prisoners at Baghdad's Abu Gharib prison.

"The military has made it clear they are going to pursue, to the fullest extent of the law, these individuals," said McClellan.

- AFP