Torture soldiers face abuse hearings next week

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 hearings will be held from Monday to Wednesday in the heavily guarded Green Zone headquarters of the US occupation authority, an officer said.

The three soldiers include Specialist Charles Graner, 35, Staff Sergeant Ivan Frederick, 37, and Sergeant Javal Davis, 26, the officer said.

A hearing for a fourth soldier, US army reservist Private Lynndie England, 21, will be held separately at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, where she is now stationed.

In all, seven soldiers of the 372nd Military Police Company have been charged with abuse since the scandal broke in April with the publication of photos depicting prisoners suffering sexual humiliation and abuse at the hands of American military police serving as guards.

About 400 prisoners were released from the grim detention centre on the outskirts of Baghdad today. The release was the fifth batch so far.

During three separate pre-trial hearings in Baghdad next week, lawyers will be able to file motions, request a change of venue, call witnesses to testify or introduce evidence – “things that they need to do in order to go to trial at some later date,” the officer said.

A trial date could be announced at the hearings, or more hearings could be held later.