Trial of first US soldier on prisoner abuse scandal postponed

The American military authorities have decided to postpone the trial of the first American soldier accused of abusing Iraqi detainees, Al Sabah newspaper in Baghdad reported Sunday.

"The trial (of Jeremy C. Sivits) would be held on May 20, which means postponing it for only one day," the newspaper cited a sourceclose to the coalition authority said.

The 24-year-old from the 372nd Military Police Company was the first soldier announced to face a court martial on suspect of abusing detainees in Abu Ghraib prison west of Baghdad.The source also said that the court would start by chargingcorporals Ivan Fredrick and Javal Davis and Private Charles Crantz.He emphasized that the trial would be open, but did not mention theplace of the trial.

The issue of abusing the Iraqi detainees stirred a wave ofcriticism worldwide, which has forced the American administration to present an apology to the Iraqi people.

But some Iraqis said the punishments would never be equal to thecrimes of those soldiers and the real criminals are the top military leaders and US Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld instead of those soldiers.

Source: Xinhua