CBS to air US soldier’s video diary of abuse

A US soldier’s video diary showing her disdain for Iraqi detainees who died in her charge is to be broadcast by a US network on Wednesday in a further escalation of the prisoner abuse scandal. CBS, which two weeks ago broadcast the first pictures of Iraqi prisoners being abused in Abu Ghraib prison, said on Tuesday its 60 Minutes II programme would show footage of conditions there and at another US-run prison in southern Iraq called Camp Bucca.

CBS said the home video did not show scenes of abuse but included comments by the soldier that make clear her dislike for the camp and the prisoners under her.

The soldier described the hazards of Camp Bucca. ‘‘This is a sand viper,’’ she said. ‘‘One bite will kill you. We’ve already had two prisoners die of it, but who cares? That’s two less for me to worry about.’’

She said about three prisoners broke out every week, but they didn’t try to escape when she was on duty. ‘‘It’s ’cause they are scared of me. I got in trouble because I was throwing rocks at them,’’ she said. —(Reuters)