‘Just following orders,’ claims Abu Ghraib’s Lynndie England

FORT BRAGG, North Carolina – Lawyers for US Army Private Lynndie England were due back in court yesterday where they will defend their client against charges she abused Iraqi detainees by claiming she was simply following orders.

England, 21, is confined to this sprawling military base while the hearing against her which started on Tuesday is completed. If the presiding judge decides she should face a court martial, the one time jailor could be looking at a maximum sentence of 38 years in an army prison.Her defence team, headed by Richard Hernandez, signalled to the media that it will argue in coming days that the abuse of Iraqi detainees at Abu Ghraib prison outside Baghdad last year was “systematic” and approved by senior officers.”The government is doing everything they can to make her a scapegoat,” Hernandez told reporters as he left the court hearing late Tuesday.In one of the highest profile misconduct hearings of a US Army soldier since the Vietnam era, however, the military will call a number of witnesses to bolster its 19 charges against England.One of the army’s star witnesses against England is likely to be Specialist Jeremy Sivits, the first soldier to face a court martial over the Abu Ghraib prison scandal.He pleaded guilty in May and has agreed to testify against at least six other accused soldiers.- Nampa-AFPIf the presiding judge decides she should face a court martial, the one time jailor could be looking at a maximum sentence of 38 years in an army prison.Her defence team, headed by Richard Hernandez, signalled to the media that it will argue in coming days that the abuse of Iraqi detainees at Abu Ghraib prison outside Baghdad last year was “systematic” and approved by senior officers.”The government is doing everything they can to make her a scapegoat,” Hernandez told reporters as he left the court hearing late Tuesday.In one of the highest profile misconduct hearings of a US Army soldier since the Vietnam era, however, the military will call a number of witnesses to bolster its 19 charges against England.One of the army’s star witnesses against England is likely to be Specialist Jeremy Sivits, the first soldier to face a court martial over the Abu Ghraib prison scandal.He pleaded guilty in May and has agreed to testify against at least six other accused soldiers.- Nampa-AFP