Abuse of detainees was systematic

A special military court hearing on the Abu Ghraib prison abuse scandal stretched into a fifth day Saturday with the presiding officer facing defence requests to call top US officials to the witness stand.

Private Lynndie England, known worldwide for a photograph showing her holding a leash tied to the neck of a naked inmate, is one of six soldiers facing a possible court martial and prison for abusing Iraqi detainees.

Her defence is arguing that the abuse of detainees at the facility was "systematic" and approved by senior officers.

The army contends, however, that England and some of her fellow military police officers acted in a rogue fashion and were not following orders.

The defense team, lead by Richard Hernandez, has submitted a list of 158 witnesses it wants to appear in the court, including Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld.

On Friday Hernandez said he was especially keen to call the former top US commander in Iraq, Lieutenant General Ricardo Sanchez, and Brigadier General Janis Karpinski, who ran Abu Ghraib.

Friday saw dramatic testimony including the first public statements by the soldier who blew the whistle on the abusers and an allegation that England was praised for humiliating detainees.

Two US Army criminal investigators said England told them that military intelligence and other US officials "told us to keep it up, we were doing a good job."