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Abu Ghraib woman guard undisciplined
(Agencies)
Updated: 2004-08-05 08:51 Pfc. Lynndie England was an undisciplined soldier
who disobeyed orders to stop sleeping with a comrade, witnesses said on
Wednesday as prosecutors sharpened their attack on the woman who caused
widespread outrage when she was pictured holding a naked Iraqi prisoner on a
leash.
England, who defense lawyers have called a poster child for the Bush
administration's flawed war policies, also made a snide remark when an Iraqi
detainee at Abu Ghraib prison was forced to masturbate while soldiers watched, a
witness said.
Pfc. Lynndie
England (L) walks with her mother Terri England at Fort Bragg in North
Carolina, August 3, 2004. A military court at Fort Bragg, North Carolina,
convened to decide whether Pfc. England will be tried for the prisoner
abuse that outraged the Arab world and embarrassed the Bush administration
as it sought to stabilize Iraq.[Reuters] |
The
testimony from England's fellow military police officers came on the second day
of a hearing to determine if the pregnant England should stand trial for
prisoner abuse in a scandal that shook U.S. efforts to stabilize Iraq.
Prosecutors have attempted to portray England as a rogue soldier, in keeping
with President Bush's statement that the abuse of prisoners was the fault of a
small group.
Spc. Matthew Bolinger, her immediate supervisor at Abu Ghraib, testified
England was late for work, left early and disobeyed orders confining her to a
life of "work, chow and church."
"Her performance was not so good. She had a lack of discipline," Bolinger
told a military court at Fort Bragg, North Carolina.
Bolinger said she was ordered several times to stop sleeping with Spc.
Charles Graner, who is also charged in the abuse scandal.
The 21-year-old England returned to court on Wednesday after missing part of
Tuesday's session for an unscheduled doctor's visit. Media reports say the
father of the child she is expecting is Graner.
England was charged along with six other military police reservists over the
abuse of prisoners. She became the public face of the scandal when photographs
depicting her holding an Iraqi on a leash and smiling as she pointed to a
prisoner's genitals went around the world.
COMPETING THEORIES
Wednesday's testimony from members of England's 372nd Military Police
Company, heard by telephone in the courtroom, served to sharpen the focus on the
competing theories of prosecution and defense lawyers.
Lynndie England (C)
arrives with her legal council in Fayetteville, NC for her Article 32
investigation hearing. England is charged with several counts, including
conspiring to maltreat an Iraqi detainee, three counts of assault against
Iraqis, and several other crimes.
[AFP] | Prosecutors spotlighted England's personal
behavior and sloppy work record at Abu Ghraib. Defense attorneys homed in on the
actions of Military Intelligence in a bid to bolster England's claim she was
only following orders to soften up prisoners for questioning.
Spc. Matthew Wisdom, a prison MP, said he witnessed an incident last November
in which an Iraqi prisoner was backed up against a wall and was masturbating
with another prisoner kneeling before him, mouth open. A group of soldiers
watched, he said, including England and Staff Sgt. Ivan Frederick, who is also
charged.
"Frederick said look what these animals do when we leave them alone for two
seconds," Wisdom said.
Wisdom said he heard England speak in a sarcastic tone of voice. "She said
'he's getting hard,"' he said.
Wisdom said he also witnessed an incident where a number of Iraqis were
thrown into a pile. He said Graner posed for a picture as if he was about to
punch a prisoner "and right after the picture was taken, he did hit him in the
face."
Defense lawyers have focused on the role of Military Intelligence officers,
contending they were giving orders to MPs to soften up prisoners.
Sgt. 1st Class Shannon Snider testified he was not directly ordered to do so
but conceded he was "unclear" who was actually in charge of the cellblock at Abu
Ghraib.
"We had MI trying to direct us," he said.
But a Military Intelligence agent, Chief Warrant Officer Edward Rivas, said
MPs were not used to rough up prisoners. "That's not doctrine, sir," Rivas said
by telephone from Iraq.
England faces numerous counts of abusing prisoners, committing indecent acts
and disobeying orders. If convicted, she faces a dishonorable discharge and up
to 38 years in prison.
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