Special Report: Abu Ghraib abuse scandal

    WASHINGTON, March 22 (Xinhua) -- A U.S. military dog handler was sentenced to 6 months in jail Wednesday for abusing detainees at the notorious Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq by terrifying them witha military dog.

    A military jury at Fort Meade, Mar yland, handed down the sentence a day after convicting Michael J. Smith, 24, on five charges ranging from maltreatment of prisoners, to directing his dog to lick peanut butter off other soldiers' private parts.

    The sentence also included forfeiture of all pay and allowances and a dishonorable discharge.

    Military prosecutors said that between 2003 and 2004, Smith used his black Belgian shepherd to intimidate five prisoners for fun and competed with another dog handler trying to make detainees soil themselves.

    Including Smith, ten U.S. soldiers have been convicted of abusing detainees at Abu Ghraib and one of them was given the stiffest sentence of 10 years in prison.

    Another dog handler is scheduled to stand trial on May 22.

    Disturbing photos of detainees being intimidated by dogs and sexually humiliated at the Abu Ghraib were broadcast around the world after the abuses became public in 2004, undermining Washington's efforts to win support for its war in Iraq. Enditem