Several more Danish soldiers are under investigation for the suspected abuse of prisoners during interrogations at Camp Eden in southern Iraq, the Danish Army said on Tuesday.
Former unit colleagues have already complained about the way one intelligence officer interrogated prisoners, the army said. It said the officer was sent home last week while army staff were sent to examine the claims.
Two Danish newspapers on Tuesday identified the officer as a woman in her thirties. The Danish military declined to identify the soldier, but said several more personnel were now being investigated.
"The investigation is wider. Several more individuals are now being investigated," armed forces spokesman Hans-Christian Mathiesen told Reuters.
The investigation has sent shock-waves through Denmark, where most people support the centre-right government's backing of the US-led campaign in Iraq.
Although few details of the claims have been made public, Defence Minister Soren Gade told the media the mistreatment may have included denying prisoners water.
The Danish military also told Reuters on Tuesday the investigation had been widened to cover a shooting incident - but would not elaborate further.
Danish troops have been involved in several firefights with insurgent in Iraq, including one in August last year when two Iraqis were killed by Danish soldiers.
Denmark has about 500 troops in the country.
The latest development emerged on the day a hearing starts in the United States into whether a US soldier will be tried for prisoner abuse at Abu Ghraib prison near Baghdad.
The hearing will determine whether US military police officer Lynndie England will be tried on charges ranging from prisoner abuse to committing indecent acts.
Comments
Comments are closed.