Prison guard Spc. Jeremy Sivits, the first soldier scheduled to be court-martialed in the Iraqi prisoner abuse scandal, has been cooperating with military prosecutors and facing lesser charges than the other soldiers accused in the case. Sivits, says in his statement to prosecutors that his fellow soldiers laughed and horsed around as they stripped, brutally beat and humiliated detainees.

Details of Sivits' statement came as more than 300 Iraqi detainees were released from the Abu Ghraib prison, a day after Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld made a surprise visit and insisted the Pentagon did not try to cover up alleged abuses there.

In parts of his statement, Sivits focused on the actions of Military Police Cpl. Charles A. Graner, who he said beat a prisoner ? who had bullet wounds in his legs ? while the prisoner was handcuffed to a bed. During another incident, Sivits said Graner beat a prisoner after he forced him to strip and put a sandbag over his head.

"At one point, after a couple of the detainees were stripped, and I do not know what provoked Graner, but Graner knelt down to one of the detainees that was nude and had a sandbag over his head," Sivits said. "Graner put the detainee's head into a cradle position with Graner's arm, and Graner punched the detainee with a lot of force, in the temple. Graner punched the detainee with a closed fist so hard in the temple that it knocked the detainee unconscious."

Sivits also described an incident where he said detainees were piled in the middle of the prison floor and one accused soldier, Sgt. Javal S. Davis, ran across the room and jumped on the pile. He said Davis repeated the action three times.

"A couple of the detainees kind of made an 'Ah' sound, as if this hurt them or caused them some type of pain when Davis would land on them," Sivits said. "After Davis had done this, Davis then stumped [sic] on either the fingers or toes of the detainees. When he stumped [sic] the detainees, they were in pain, because the detainee would scream loudly."

Sivits also described how Sgt. Ivan L. "Chip" Frederick II participated in the beatings and forced naked detainees to masturbate.

"SSG Frederick would take the hand of the detainee and place it on the detainee's penis and make the detainee's hand go back and forth, as if masturbating," Sivits said in his statement.

Self-Serving and Tailored?

Sivits gave his statement to prosecutors in January. His testimony is the most detailed account to date of the alleged abuse at the Abu Ghraib prison.

Six other guards facing charges in the prisoner abuse scandal have insisted on their innocence and said they were following orders from their superiors or from military intelligence.

The attorney for Graner has said in reports that Sivits' testimony is questionable because it appears self-serving and tailored to a plea agreement with prosecutors.

Sivits has been moved away from his own unit, apparently for his own safety, after it became known that he could be testifying against his fellow soldiers, sources told ABCNEWS.

Three of the soldiers implicated in the scandal ( Graner, Frederick and Davis ) face conspiracy to maltreat detainees, dereliction of duty and maltreatment of detainees, among other charges. Graner has also been charged with adultery.

ABCNEWS' Brian Ross reported this story on Good Morning America. ABCNEWS' Rhonda Schwartz contributed ot this report.

EN ESPAÑOL

Jeremy Sivits, el primer soldado llevado a corte marcial en el escandalo de las torturas a prisioneros iraquies ha estado cooperando con acusadores militares y enfrentando cargos menores que los otros soldados acusados en este caso. Sivits dice, en su declaracion, que sus companeros reian y burlaban mientras desnudaban, golpeaban salvajemente y humillaban los detenidos.

Sivit detalla que mas de 300 iraquies detenidos fueron sacados de la prision de Abu Ghraib un dia despues que el secretario de defensa Donald Rumsfeld hizo una visita sorpresa e insistio que el Pentagono no intentaria cubrir las torturas realizadas alli.

En parte de su declaracion Sivits se refiere a las acciones del policia militar Charles A. Graner, quien dice que golpeo a un prisionero --- que tenia heridas de bala en sus piernas --- mientras el prisionero era empujado hacia una cama. Sivits dice que Graner golpeo un prisionero despues que lo forzo a desnudarse y puso una capucha sobre su cabeza.

"En un momento, despues que un par de detenidos fueron desnudados, y yo no sabia que era lo que provocaba a Graner, pero Graner arrodillo a uno de los detenidos que estaba desnudo y tenia una capucha en su cabeza" Sivits dice. "Graner puso la cabeza del detenido en una posicion de acune con el brazo de Graner y golpeo al detenido con todas sus fuerzas en la sien. Graner golpeo al detenido con el puno cerrado tan fuerte en la sien que el golpe dejo al detenido inconsciente"

Sivits tambien describe un incidente donde el dice que los detenidos fueron apilados en el medio del piso de la prision y uno de los soldados acusados, el Sgto. Javal S. Davis, corrio a traves del lugar y salto sobre la pila. El dice que Davis repitio la accion tres veces.

"Un par de los detenidos dijeron una especie de "ah" como si esto los hubiese lastimado o causado algun tipo de dolor cuando Davis aterrizaba sobre ellos" dice Sivits. "Despues que Davis habia hecho esto taconeo y salto o bien sobre los dedos o bien sobre los pies de los detenidos. Cuando el hacia esto a los detenidos sentian dolor, porque los detenidos gritaban muy fuerte"

Sivits tambien describe como el Sgto. Ivan L. "Chip" Frederick II participo en las golpizas y forzo a los detenidos desnudos a masturbarse

"SSG Frederick tomaba la mano de los detenidos y las colocaba en el pene del detenido y hacia que la mano del detenido fuera hacia atras y adelante como si se masturbaran," Sivits dice en su declaracion.

Hechas a medida?

Sivits dio su declaracion a los acusadores en enero. Su testimonio es el mas detallado hasta la fecha de los alegados abusos en la prision de Abu Ghraib.

Otros seis guardias enfrentan cargos en el escandalo de las torturas a prisioneros y han insistido en su inocencia diciendo que han seguido ordenes de sus superiores o de inteligencia militar.

El abogado de Garner ha dicho en sus reportes que el testimonio de Sivits es cuestionable porque aparece hecho a medida al agrado de los acusadores.

Sivits ha sido trasladado de su unidad, aparentemente por su seguridad, pues es sabido que el podria  testificar en contra de sus companeros de arma, dijeron fuentes a ABCNEWS.

Tres de los soldados implicados en el escandalo (Graner, Frederick y Davis)  enfrentan cargos por incumplimiento de deber y maltrato de detenidos, como otros cargos. Graner tambien ha sido acusado de adulterio (en serio, o se piensan que los escarceos y las practicas de combate cuerpo a cuerpo junto a la Linndie se las va a llevar de arriba. N. del T.).

ABCNEWS' Brian Ross reporto esta historia en Good Morning America. ABCNEWS' Rhonda Schwartz contribuyo a este reporte.

Traduccion: Fugitivo