FORT BRAGG, Aug 30: A convicted US soldier on Monday testified to a special military hearing here that he saw other American troops abusing Iraqi inmates detained at Abu Ghraib prison outside Baghdad late last year.
Private Jeremy Sivits, who has been sentenced to one year of confinement for his role in the abuses, told the military court here by telephone from Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, that he specifically witnessed Army Private Lynndie England, 21, stomping on the fingers and toes of Iraqi prisoners.
A photograph showing England holding a leash attached to the neck of an inmate sparked a public relations disaster for the Pentagon after that picture and many others depicting mistreatment inside Abu Ghraib were broadcast around the world earlier this year.
Sivits is the first witness at England's hearing to say he specifically saw the private meting out abuse. "They were stomping on the fingers and toes of detainees," Sivits said, referring to Lynndie England and a fellow soldier from the 372nd Military Police Company, whom he named as Sergeant Kenneth Davis.
He was giving evidence at the hearing, which is being held on this large military base to determine if England will face a court martial. She could face up to 38 years in prison if convicted of all 19 government charges.
The hearing resumed on Monday after a delay of several weeks. Before halting proceedings on Aug 7, the judge, Colonel Denise Arn, heard testimony from numerous soldiers who served with Lynndie England, as well as military intelligence officials who worked at the jail.
The government has charged England and six other soldiers from the 372nd Military Police Company for being implicated in the abuse of prisoners. It says they are rogue soldiers, but England's lawyers insist she was following orders.
Sivits said he entered the jail and saw England and other soldiers standing around a group of inmates sprawled on the floor. The prisoners were handcuffed and had sandbags over their heads, Sivits said.
He said the detainees were then stripped naked as abuse was dished out and they were heaped into a human pyramid. Photographs of the human pyramid have also circulated around the world.
Sivits said two other soldiers who had been present - Sergeant Ivan Frederick and Corporal Charles Graner, both of whom punched detainees during the session, he said - told him they had been asked to soften up the inmates.
However, Sivits said he saw no orders to this effect and did not ask who had ordered the abuse. He said the abuse got so severe at one point that a medic had been called to treat some of the detainees.
Sivits could not identify the medic and said "she didn't say anything" but treated the inmates before leaving. The court is expected to hear testimony from Davis, who has been sought as a defence witness. -AFP
