Baghdad A US military court yesterday heard graphic testimony that three American soldiers took turns raping a 14-year-old Iraqi girl and murdered her and her family.

At the hearing into whether four US soldiers should be court-martialled, a special agent described what allegedly took place in Mahmudiya in March, based on an interview with Specialist James Barker, one of the accused.

The case, the fifth involving serious crimes being investigated by the US military in Iraq, has outraged Iraqis and led Nouri al-Maliki, the Prime Minister, to call for a review of foreign troops’ immunity from prosecution under Iraqi law.

Special Agent Benjamin Bierce said that Specialist Barker told him that they put a couple and their six-year-old daughter into a bedroom at their home, but kept the teenage girl in the living room. Specialist Barker held her hands while Sergeant Paul Cortez tried to rape her.

Specialist Barker then attempted to rape the girl. Specialist Barker told the agent that he heard shots from the bedroom and Private Steven Green emerged and raped the girl while Sergeant Cortez held her down. Private Green then picked up the weapon and shot her once, paused, and shot her several more times.

Military prosecutors are expected to set out their case against Private First Class Jesse Spielman, 21; Specialist Barker, 23; Sergeant Cortez, 23, and Private First Class Bryan Howard, 19, who face charges of rape and murder, All face the death penalty if found guilty. Green, 21, who faces the same charges in a Kentucky court, has pleaded not guilty. He was discharged from the army for a personality disorder. (Reuters)

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