Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)

DATE=10-21-04

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

TITLE= FREDERICK COURT MARTIAL (L)

NUMBER=2-319830

BYLINE= NICK SIMEONE

DATELINE= PENTAGON

CONTENT=

VOICED AT:

HEADLINE: Guilty Plea, Eight Year Sentence in Iraqi Prisoner Abuse Trial

INTRO: The highest ranking U.S. soldier to be implicated in Iraq's Abu Ghraib prison abuse scandal has pleaded guilty to abuse charges and has been sentenced to eight years in prison. From the Pentagon, Correspondent Nick Simeone tells us it was the longest sentence handed down so far the on-going investigation into the abuse of Iraqi detainees at the hands of American soldiers.

TEXT: Army staff sergeant Ivan Frederick told his court martial in Baghdad Thursday he knew what he did amounted to abuse but said blame also has to be placed on his commanding officers, whom he alleges ordered him to "stress out' Iraqi inmates as a way to soften them up for questioning by military intelligence.

For that reason, the army reservist's lawyer called the eight year prison sentence along with a forced reduction in rank and dishonorable discharge excessive and said he plans to appeal it.

The 38 year-old soldier is now the third military police officer to be convicted since shocking photos of Iraqi inmates being forced to pose naked and in sexually humiliating positions drew the world's attention in April.

So far, no senior U-S military personnel have been charged in the abuse scandal even though two Pentagon investigations released in August said widespread leadership failures in Iraq were in part to blame. During a congressional hearing into the matter in May, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld took full responsibility for what happened at the Iraqi prison but refused calls by some in Washington to resign. (SIGNED)

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