EARLIER this year, a petite, mop-topped soldier became a central figure in the Abu Ghraib prison scandal that shocked the world when she turned up in numerous photographs, smiling and giving the thumbs-up in the presence of naked, hooded Iraqi detainees.

A military hearing opened today to determine if a heavily pregnant young soldier should be court-martialled for her actions at Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq, where she was photographed smiling and giving the thumbs-up sign in the presence of naked, hooded detainees.

Lawyers for Army Reservist Lynndie England claim she is being used as a scapegoat in the Iraqi prison abuse scandal, and they hope a military hearing this week will allow them to question senior officials they believe are responsible.