One of the US Army reservists charged with abusing inmates at Abu Ghraib prison admitted at a pre-trial hearing today that he initially lied to a military investigator by saying he did not take part in the maltreatment.

SENIOR military officers were aware of widespread abuse of Iraqi prisoners by US soldiers, and lower-ranking troops should not be made scapegoats, the lawyer for an accused female soldier said yesterday.

The US military has denied a report that the top American general in Iraq was present during some interrogations at the Abu Ghraib prison and witnessed some of the abuse of Iraqi inmates.

The commander of the military police company assigned to the notorious Abu Ghraib prison near Baghdad is prepared to testify that the top US general in Iraq was present during some interrogations at the prison and witnessed some of the abuse, it is reported today.