4 British Soldiers Face Trials on Charges of Abusing Iraqis

Four soldiers from Britain’s Royal Fusiliers will face courts-martial for allegedly abusing Iraqi detainees, the attorney general said Monday.

“The charges against the four include assault, indecent assault, which apparently involves making victims engage in sexual activity between themselves, and a military charge of prejudicing good order and military discipline,” Lord Goldsmith said in a statement.

He said the abuse allegedly took place while the civilians were temporarily held, but not in a prison or detention center.

“It involves photographic evidence developed in this country and referred to the U.K. police,” the statement added. It said the trial would be held in a military court and would be open to the public. No date had been set.

The U.S. has already started courts-martial against some of the soldiers allegedly involved in a separate abuse case at Baghdad’s Abu Ghraib prison.

Goldsmith said the Army Prosecuting Authority was considering three other abuse allegations. He also was studying the case against a British soldier who allegedly killed an Iraqi civilian in the course of an arrest.