US soldier charged over prisoner abuse

Private Lynndie England, shown in photographs smiling and pointing at naked Iraqi prisoners, was charged yesterday by the US military.

The charges come as Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld warned the worst could be yet to come in the Iraqi prisoner abuse scandal as he fronted Congress to apologise for the atrocities and defend his office.

England, 21, who is four months pregnant, according to her family, faces four charges, according to a military statement.

Six soldiers have already been charged with crimes in the abuse of Iraqi prisoners and seven were reprimanded.

In addition to the known abuse cases and at least 25 prisoner deaths already reported, the military is investigating 42 potential cases of misconduct against civilians that occurred outside prisons in Iraq and nearby countries.