MADRID, June 8 (Xinhuanet) -- The Spanish government supports a Spanish judge's investigation into and prosecution of three US soldiers implicated in the shooting of a Spanish TV cameraman two years ago in Baghdad, Spanish Minister of Justice Juan Fernando Lopez Aguilar said Wednesday.

    At a press conference held here, Aguilar said the Spanish government is to assist High Court Judge Santiago Pedraz in his investigation.

    He also expressed regret over the US refusal to question the three soldiers under the pretext that such investigation should be conducted by a judge of a third country.

    Spanish cameraman Jose Couso, who worked for Telecinco, was killed along with a Ukrainian cameraman when a US tank fired directly onto a hotel housing foreign journalists during the 2003 assault on Baghdad.

    Judge Pedraz was entrusted on Tuesday by the Reporters Without Borders group to question and bring to justice the three US soldiers implicated in Couso's death. These soldiers were accused of "offense against the international community."

    If found guilty, the three soldiers would face 10 to 15 years in jail under Spanish law, said Aguilar. Enditem