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FORT CAMPBELL - One of four US soldiers accused of raping a 14-year-old Iraqi girl before killing her and her family pleaded guilty yesterday at the start of his court-martial on a Kentucky military base.
In a separate case, a military tribunal in Camp Pendleton, California, sentenced a Marine to 18 months in prison for his role in the killing of an Iraqi grandfather in Hamdania in a case involving eight US servicemen.
At Fort Campbell, Specialist James Barker pleaded guilty to rape and murder. His lawyer said earlier he would co-operate with prosecutors.
He does not face the death penalty and his sentence will be determined at the end of the proceeding, which is expected to last two days.
Barker provided graphic testimony to military investigators about the March 2006 incident at Mahmudiya that was used at a military proceeding in Baghdad last August, resulting in charges against the four and one former soldier.
Another soldier accused in the case, Sergeant Paul Cortez, was also arraigned yesterday at the start of his court-martial.
He was likely to enter a plea on December 11 and could be sentenced to death if convicted.
The Mahmudiya case, the killing of 24 people in Haditha, and other incidents have sparked outrage among Iraqis. The gang rape case led Iraqi officials to call for a review of foreign troops' immunity from Iraqi prosecution.
In the case at Camp Pendleton near San Diego, Private John Jodka, the second defendant sentenced in the April 26 death of Hashim Ibrahim Awad, pleaded guilty last month to charges of assault and conspiracy to obstruct justice.
Under a plea deal his attorneys hammered out with Government prosecutors, Jodka will serve an 18-month sentence in the military brig - getting credit for about six months spent in confinement - if he agrees to testify against his squad mates and assist prosecutors.
- REUTERS
