US charges 6 officers with abusing Iraqis

Fin (R), age 5, and her brother Charlie (L), age 3, of Ann Arbor, Michigan, attend an anti-war protest with their father on Saturday in Ann Arbor, Michigan. The protest was one of many held around the world marking the first anniversary of the Iraq invasion. PHOTO: AFP

The US military charged six soldiers Saturday with abusing inmates at Abu Ghraib prison on the western outskirts of Baghdad.

The soldiers, members of a military police unit, were charged with a range of crimes, including conspiracy, dereliction of duty, cruelty and maltreatment, assault and indecent acts with another person. The military said about 20 detainees were involved.

It's "the kind of cancer that you have to cut out quickly. You've got to address it very, very quickly," said Brig. Gen. Mark Kimmitt, the US military's deputy director of operations.

The alleged offenses were committed in November and December and came to the attention of military authorities in January. The names of the soldiers were not released.

The six are among 17 US troops including a battalion commander and a company commander suspended from duties last month for allegedly abusing Iraqi prisoners.