A lawyer for one of three soldiers accused in the Abu Ghraib prison scandal asked a military judge today to order a new hearing because the turmoil of Iraq prevented him from being able to question witnesses.

A pre-trial hearing over the Abu Ghraib prison scandal began in Baghdad today.

A US army court will hold pre-trial hearings in Baghdad next week for three soldiers charged with abusing Iraqi inmates in the Abu Ghraib prison scandal.

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.

An American soldier was jailed today for his part in the torture of Iraqi prisoners at Abu Ghraib jail in Baghdad.

US Army Specialist Jeremy Sivits pleaded guilty today to three counts of abuse in the first court-martial stemming from the torture of Iraqi prisoners at Baghdad’s Abu Ghraib prison.

The US Army is trying to “cover up” widespread abuse of prisoners at Iraq’s notorious Abu Ghraib jail, a witness in the investigation claimed today.

A US soldier who allegedly took pictures of naked Iraqi prisoners being sexually humiliated at the notorious Abu Ghraib prison was going on trial today.

Army Specialist Jeremy Sivits, who took photos of abuse at the Abu Ghraib detention centre in Iraq, described soldiers laughing and joking as they beat, stripped and sexually humiliated detainees, according to newspaper reports.

The US Army said that two soldiers are due in court next week on criminal charges stemming from the Abu Ghraib prisoner abuse case.

THE woman soldier at the centre of the Iraqi prisoner abuse scandal was photographed having sex with other military guards, sometimes in front of detainees, US senators said yesterday.

A female soldier at the centre of the Iraqi prisoner abuse scandal was photographed having sex with other military guards, sometimes in front of detainees, senators said today.

US Defence Sectretary Donald Rumsfeld's surprise visit to Baghdad comes a day after the military announced it will court-martial two more American soldiers.

TWO more US soldiers have been ordered to stand trial in the Abu Ghraib prisoner abuse scandal.