Date:20/05/2004 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2004/05/20/stories/2004052003351400.htm

International

Abu Ghraib: jail term for U.S. soldier

By Atul Aneja

MANAMA, MAY 19. An American soldier facing a court martial has been sentenced for one year for abusing prisoners in an Iraqi jail. Jeremy Sivits admitted abusing prisoners and photographing them in humiliating positions in Baghdad's Abu Ghraib jail. Mr. Sivits pleaded guilty to conspiracy to maltreatment of detenus and dereliction of duty. He was also demoted and discharged from service. During his testimony, Mr. Sivits said that his colleagues told him that senior officials had sanctioned the abuse to get the inmates talk.

Before he was sentenced, Mr. Sivits said that he felt remorse for his actions. Breaking down in tears he said: "I'd like to apologise to the Iraqi people and those detainees. I should have protected those detainees, not taken the photos."

Recounting the incident of November 8, 2003, he said that Ivan Fredrick, a staff sergeant had asked him to visit a place inside the jail. Another colleague Charles Graner was "yelling in Arabic at the detainees. I saw one of the detainees lying on the floor. They were laying there on the floor, sandbags over their heads." Two other soldiers, Javal Davis, a Sergeant, and Lynndie England, were "stamping on their toes and hands." Mr. Sivits said that his colleagues told him that military intelligence had sanctioned the abuse.

Earlier on Wednesday, Mr. Frederick, Mr. Davis and Mr. Graner, who are also accused in the abuse scandal, appeared in court. Unlike Mr. Sivits, they face more serious charges including physical assaults on prisoners. They have deferred entering pleas and have been ordered to appear in court again on June 21. The three are likely to contend that they were following orders for "softening up" inmates before interrogation.

Analysts say that the U.S. authorities are keen to project the Abu Ghraib incident as isolated and a result of individual action rather than part of a `systemic' practice. Three senior U.S. commanders in Iraq are also due to appear before a Senate committee. The U.S. Central Command chief General John Abizaid, the commander of the U.S. forces in Iraq, Lt. Gen. Ricardo Sanchez, and Iraq prisons chief Major General Geoffrey Miller will face the committee.