WASHINGTON, Jan. 12 (Xinhuanet) -- A U.S. general, who is a central figure in the prisoner abuse scandal in Iraq, has asserted his right not to incriminate himself in the courts-martial of two soldiers accused of abuse, The Washington Post reported on Thursday.

    The move by Major Gen. Geoffrey Miller indicated that he might have information that could implicate him in wrongdoing, according to the report, citing military lawyers.

    Miller once supervised the U.S. detention facility at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and helped set up operations at Abu Ghraib.

    The action came shortly after the commanding officer at Abu Ghraib, Col. Thomas Pappas, accepted immunity this week and was ordered to testify at the upcoming courts martial.

    Miller had helped introduce the so-called Guantanamo-style questioning methods to Iraq ahead of the 2003 abuse scandal at AbuGhraib prison near Baghdad.

    Harvey Volzer, an attorney for one of two U.S. solders accused of using dogs to intimidate prisoners at Abu Ghraib, wanted to question Miller about whether he ordered the use of dogs.

    Miller invoked his right against self-incrimination through his lawyer on Tuesday, after a military judge ruled that lawyers representing the dog handlers could interview the general later this week.

    His lawyer said the general decided not to answer more questions because he has "been interviewed repeatedly over the last several years" about his role at Guantanamo Bay and his visit to Iraq in 2003.

    So far, only seven low-ranking military policemen have taken most of the blame for abuses at Abu Ghraib, and no high-raking officers have faced criminal charges.

    Since the revelation of the abuse scandals at Guantanamo and Abu Ghraib, the United States has been facing sharp criticism from rights groups and the international community over its treatment of prisoners in its declared "war on terror." Enditem