Abu Ghraib officer cleared of abuse
Pictures like this one emerged in various media sources in 2004
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Tuesday, 28, Aug 2007 09:25
Lieutenant Colonel Steven Jordan, the only senior officer to be charged in relation to the abuse of inmates at Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq, has been cleared.
However Lt Col Jordan, 51, who was one of several high-ranking officers in charge at the detention facility when the abuse took place, was found guilty of disobeying an order not to discuss the inquiry with anyone else.
He was charged with dereliction of duty and cruelty to detainees by allowing nudity and dogs to be used in interrogation of prisoners in 2003 and 2004. He pleaded innocent to all charges at his court martial hearing.
Sentencing for the guilty verdict of discussing the inquiry with others will take place later today.
The inquiry began after photographs of the abuse were published in western media and US soldier Joe Darby blew the whistle on colleagues who had carried out the abuse.
Photographs showed detainees in various states of undress and in apparently humiliating positions, such as on a dog leash.
Lt Col Jordan was the only senior officer to be charged over the incident, and while he was found innocent of dereliction of duty and direct cruelty he faces a maximum prison sentence of five years for disobeying an order to remain silent over the case.
As many as 11 soldiers have been convicted of carrying out abuses at Abu Ghraib prison since the images became public.
Among those who have been found guilty is Charles Graner Jr, who was sentenced in 2005 to ten years in prison on various charges including indecent acts, assault and mistreatment.