Prisoners say coalition forces were also abusive

Polish, other troops accused of mistreating Iraqi detainees

? Some Iraqi prisoners at Abu Ghraib said they were abused by troops from Poland and other coalition countries, according to copies of statements to Army investigators obtained Thursday by The Associated Press.

The witness statements also include new and more detailed allegations of abuse by military intelligence soldiers, including a civilian interpreter’s accusation that an Army interrogator forced a prisoner to walk naked through a cellblock.

One soldier has been convicted and six others are facing military charges for allegedly abusing prisoners at Abu Ghraib last fall. All are enlisted military police who worked as guards.

Most of the soldiers charged say military and civilian intelligence operatives encouraged them to beat and humiliate Iraqi prisoners to make them more pliable during interrogations. Top Army brass have said they never condoned any abuse.

The records of interviews by Army Criminal Investigation Division agents obtained by the AP include new allegations that coalition forces had beaten prisoners before turning them over to the Americans.

Sgt. Antonio Monserrate, an Army interrogator, told investigators that two detainees had been “injured by the Polish Army.” Monserrate referred to the inmates by their prison identification numbers but did not provide any further details.

Polish forces operate in south-central Iraq. Prisoners also accused Iraqi forces of abusing them but named no other country in the documents obtained by the AP.

Other civilian and military workers at Abu Ghraib mentioned claims by prisoners that they had been beaten by “coalition forces” before arriving at the U.S.-run prison outside Baghdad.