Eight years for senior US soldier in Abu Ghraib scandal

Staff Sergeant Ivan "Chip" Frederick, 38, described in court as a typical all-American boy, received what is by far the toughest sentence of those handed down to three soldiers now convicted over abuses at the Baghdad prison.

Photos of naked prisoners being taunted and humiliated at the jail outraged people around the world when they were published in April.

Frederick, who sat impassively through the two-day court martial at a US base in Baghdad, appeared shaken and looked at the floor after the judge, Colonel James Pohl, announced his verdict.

It included a dishonourable discharge and a demotion.

The defence counsel, Gary Myers, said the sentence was excessive and he would appeal.

Frederick pleaded guilty to five charges that included assault, committing an indecent act and dereliction of duty. The church-going father of two, who was a prison guard in civilian life, admitted helping tie wires to one prisoner, telling him he could be electrocuted, and sexually abusing three hooded detainees.

In one of the most notorious of abuses committed last year and to which the charges were related, naked, hooded prisoners were also made to form a human pyramid while military police posed for photographs with them.

Two psychologists who testified for the defence described Frederick as an introvert who depended heavily on others and had a strong desire to please, which they said helped to explain why he did not discipline his colleagues for abusing prisoners.

"Give me an image of the all-American boy and it’s this young man," said a San Francisco-based doctor, Philip Zimbardo. "He is a wonderful young man who did these horrible things."

Mr Myers said that Frederick, who was in charge of the night shift at Abu Ghraib, was poorly trained for the chaotic conditions he encountered. The counsel argued the military chain of command must bear some responsibility.

But the prosecutor, Major Michael Holley, told the court Frederick was an adult who could tell right from wrong.

"This behaviour should not be subjected or imposed on any human being," he said, showing a picture of prisoners, naked, bound and hooded. "He’s the guy who clearly could have said: ‘That’s enough, fellas, this is crazy’. When no-one was looking, he joined in."

Two other US soldiers have been sentenced to between eight months and a year in jail after pleading guilty to abuses at Abu Ghraib. Five more face a court martial.

Col Pohl originally sentenced Frederick to ten years in prison, but cut that to eight because of a plea bargain.

In his testimony on Wednesday, Frederick admitted beating and humiliating prisoners, saying that he had been trying to prepare them for interrogation.

In all, seven military police and an intelligence soldier have been indicted for alleged involvement in the abuses.