A library photo for a U.S. soldier maltreating an Iraqi prisoner

WASHINGTON, October 19 (IslamOnline.net & News Agencies) – The U.S. military has charged Saturday, October 18, eight U.S. Marine reservists, including two officers, with brutal treatment of Iraqi prisoners of war that may have resulted in the death of one prisoner.

Military prosecutors charged that an Iraqi man named Nagem Sadoon Hatab died at a prisoner-of-war camp called Whitehorse outside the southern city of an-Nasiriyah in early June following a possible beating by the eight Marines, who were tasked with guarding the camp, reported Agence France-Presse (AFP).

"These men have been charged in connection with maltreatment of Iraqi prisoners of war," said Marine spokesman Staff Sergeant Bill Lisbon, adding that the charges ranged from negligent homicide to assault and dereliction of duty.

The homicide and other charges were formally filed at Camp Pendleton Thursday, October 16, but no date for a court martial has been set yet.

"All eight Marines have now been moved to Camp Pendleton, a base outside San Diego, California, where they are going through various pretrial hearings," Lisbon added.

The most serious and sweeping accusations are being leveled against Major Clark Paulus, who has been charged with negligent homicide, assault, cruelty and maltreatment, dereliction of duty and making false statements, according to Lisbon.

The Marine spokesman further said that the other officer involved in the case, Major William Vickers, faces just one count of dereliction of duty.

Negligent homicide charges have also been brought against Lance Corporal Christian Hernandez.

Another Lance Corporal, William Roy, is accused of assault and cruelty. Roy's attorney defended him as he was not working on the day Hatab had died, admitting, however, that Iraqi prisoners from the camp had been beaten by U.S. Marines.

"They have overlooked the fact that he wasn't working on the day that this individual died," Donald Rehkopf contended in a telephone interview with AFP from his office in Rochester, New York.

"No one is quite sure what happened. They haven't released an autopsy for the cause of death," he added.

According to Rehkopf, the accused have not received proper training in handling prisoners of war and the rules of the Geneva Conventions prior to their assignment.

"My client was part of a combat unit. He was a machine gunner….One day they came and said we need a bunch of people to do something. And next thing he knew he was being a guard at a POW camp," he said.

The case marks the second time in about three months U.S. troops have been accused of brutality and abuse of prisoners in Iraq.

In late July, the army filed charges against four members of military police accused of hitting Iraqi prisoners and breaking their bones at Camp Bucca in southern Iraq.