This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/world/americas/6955355.stm
The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| US officer tried over Abu Ghraib | US officer tried over Abu Ghraib |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| The court martial of the only US Army officer charged in connection with the abuse scandal at Iraq's Abu Ghraib prison has begun. | The court martial of the only US Army officer charged in connection with the abuse scandal at Iraq's Abu Ghraib prison has begun. |
| Lt-Col Steven Jordan, 51, is the last of 12 defendants to appear. He is accused of illegally allowing the use of dogs and nudity in interrogations. | |
| The inquiry was triggered by pictures of US soldiers humiliating and abusing Iraqi prisoners in 2003 and 2004. | The inquiry was triggered by pictures of US soldiers humiliating and abusing Iraqi prisoners in 2003 and 2004. |
| Lt-Col Jordan has pleaded innocent and says he is being used as a scapegoat. | Lt-Col Jordan has pleaded innocent and says he is being used as a scapegoat. |
| If convicted on all charges, he faces a maximum penalty of eight and a half years in prison. | If convicted on all charges, he faces a maximum penalty of eight and a half years in prison. |
| Two of the most serious charges against him were dismissed on Monday after an investigating officer told the court he had not read Lt Col Jordan his rights during a 2004 interview. | |
| The first charge dropped was that Lt-Col Jordan had made a false official statement. The second was one of lying while being questioned on oath. | |
| The court martial is taking place at Fort Meade, in the US state of Maryland, and is expected to last two weeks. | The court martial is taking place at Fort Meade, in the US state of Maryland, and is expected to last two weeks. |
| 'Expendable' | 'Expendable' |
| Lt-Col Jordan was in charge of the Joint Interrogation and Debriefing Centre at Abu Ghraib prison during the second half of 2003. | Lt-Col Jordan was in charge of the Joint Interrogation and Debriefing Centre at Abu Ghraib prison during the second half of 2003. |
| class="" href="/1/hi/world/middle_east/6930197.stm">Abu Ghraib whistleblower He is accused of illegally approving the use of nudity and dogs in interrogations of Iraqi prisoners. | |
| He is also charged with allowing the mistreatment of detainees to continue. | |
| Lt-Col Jordan's defence has argued that although he was nominally in charge of the interrogation centre, he devoted his efforts to improving living conditions for soldiers posted there and the parameters for interrogations were set by other officers. | Lt-Col Jordan's defence has argued that although he was nominally in charge of the interrogation centre, he devoted his efforts to improving living conditions for soldiers posted there and the parameters for interrogations were set by other officers. |
| In an interview with the Washington Post last month, Lt-Col Jordan said he was being used as a scapegoat by officials who see him as expendable because he is a reservist. | In an interview with the Washington Post last month, Lt-Col Jordan said he was being used as a scapegoat by officials who see him as expendable because he is a reservist. |
| Soldiers jailed | Soldiers jailed |
| The issue of Abu Ghraib came to light in April 2004 after images emerged of US troops abusing prisoners. The footage included naked prisoners placed in humiliating positions and detainees cowering from aggressive dogs. | The issue of Abu Ghraib came to light in April 2004 after images emerged of US troops abusing prisoners. The footage included naked prisoners placed in humiliating positions and detainees cowering from aggressive dogs. |
| Lt-Col Jordan did not appear in any of those photographs. | Lt-Col Jordan did not appear in any of those photographs. |
| Eleven soldiers have been convicted of carrying out abuses at Abu Ghraib prison. | Eleven soldiers have been convicted of carrying out abuses at Abu Ghraib prison. |
| They include Specialist Charles Graner Jr, who was sentenced in 2005 to 10 years in prison on counts including assault, maltreatment and indecent acts. | They include Specialist Charles Graner Jr, who was sentenced in 2005 to 10 years in prison on counts including assault, maltreatment and indecent acts. |
| Private Lynndie England, who was photographed holding a naked Iraqi prisoner by a leash and pointing to a naked inmate's genitals, was jailed for three years in 2005. | Private Lynndie England, who was photographed holding a naked Iraqi prisoner by a leash and pointing to a naked inmate's genitals, was jailed for three years in 2005. |
| Critics of the investigation have queried why no charges have been brought against officers further up the chain of command or Bush administration officials. | Critics of the investigation have queried why no charges have been brought against officers further up the chain of command or Bush administration officials. |
| Janis Karpinski, the prison commander in Iraq at the time of the Abu Ghraib scandal, was demoted from the rank of general. She denied knowledge of the abuses. | Janis Karpinski, the prison commander in Iraq at the time of the Abu Ghraib scandal, was demoted from the rank of general. She denied knowledge of the abuses. |