'They said we will make you wish to die and it will not happen. They stripped me naked. One told me he would rape me'

THE US faced a fresh wave of devastating prisoner abuse allegations yesterday, with claims an Iraqi boy was raped in custody.

Other inmates were ridden like animals, threatened with death and made to retrieve food from toilets.

The Washington Post obtained statements from former inmates at the notorious Abu Ghraib prison, detailing fresh claims of abuse.

The newspaper also published more shocking photographs, appearing to show soldiers beating inmates, threatening them with dogs and handcuffing them to bars.

Among the new allegations are that female soldiers fondled male prisoners and that there were repeated brutal beatings from guards.

The newspaper quoted evidence taken from 13 former detainees at the prison in mid-January, when the scandal was under investigation but before it had become public.

They said they were beaten and humiliated during the holy month of Ramadan. Some of the mistreatment came as punishment for fighting or having banned items in cells.

Some said they were ordered to denounce Islam or were force-fed pork and alcohol, contrary to the laws of their religion.

Others said they were sexually humiliated and assaulted, threatened with rape and forced to perform sex acts in front of female soldiers.

Kasim Mehaddi Hilas said he was hooded and forced to wear rose-coloured women's underwear.

"Most of the days I was wearing nothing else," he said.

He said he saw an army translator having sex with a boy, aged between 15 and 18, at the prison. A female soldier was taking pictures of the assault, he claimed.

"They forced us to walk like dogs on our hands and knees," said Hiadar Sabar Abed Miktub al-Aboodi.

"We had to bark like a dog, and if we didn't do that they started hitting us hard on our face and chest with no mercy.

Another inmate, Ameen Saeed Al-Sheik, told investigators: "They said we will make you wish to die and it will not happen.

"They stripped me naked. One told me he would rape me. He drew a picture of a woman to my back and makes me stand in shameful position holding my buttocks."

Seven soldiers have been charged with abuse so far. One, Specialist Jeremy Sivits, has pleaded guilty and been sentenced to a year in prison.

While the Bush administration has suggested it was the work of rogue soldiers, most of the defendants have claimed they were acting under orders to "soften up" detainees for interrogation.

Meanwhile, the Irish Government came under renewed criticism last night for what was described as its insipid response to alleged US and British breaches of the Geneva Convention in Iraq.

Labour Party foreign affairs spokesman Michael D Higgins said last night the Government had expressed abhorrence at the images but failed to condemn or criticise the US or British Governments.