> 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)