Dog handler faces Abu Ghraib court martial

The court martial of a US Army dog handler charged with abusing detainees at the Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq could help clarify who approved the harsh treatment that human rights advocates say amounted to torture.

Sergeant Michael J Smith, 24, is accused of using his unmuzzled dog to harass, threaten and assault detainees in late 2003 and early 2004 – the same period in which guards at the prison subjected inmates to sexual humiliation and other abuses documented in widely-seen photographs.