A US soldier at the center of the scandal over abused Iraqi prisoners was said in court today to have often flouted instructions, undercutting his defense that he was a man dutifully following orders when he humiliated and beat up prisoners.
Specialist Charles Graner, portrayed at his court-martial as a ringleader in the 2003 abuse at Abu Ghraib prison outside Baghdad, has said he was following orders from superiors to soften up detainees before their interrogation.
But the ranking noncommissioned officer in his unit, Master Sgt. Brian Lipinski, appeared to undermine this image of a dutiful soldier.
He told the court, "Graner, at the time, he continually pushed the envelope either with his uniform, the standards, the hair ... simple instructions."
Mr Lipinski said Mr Graner repeatedly disobeyed instructions to end a relationship with Private Lynndie England, with whom Mr Graner eventually fathered a child and who is also facing a court-martial.
Sex among US soldiers in Iraq is barred. The defense called Lipinski to testify about a November 16th, 2003 report which cited a military intelligence officer as praising Mr Graner's work.
But prosecutors seized on a section of the report which warned Mr Graner he was being watched because of concerns about his actions, Mr Lipinski said.
Mr Graner's lawyers argue that stacking naked prisoners into a pyramid and putting them on a leash, as shown in pictures that caused international outrage when they were leaked early last year, were proper techniques sought by intelligence officials.
They are trying to show that Mr Graner (36) a former civilian prison guard who appears in many of the pictures, was following instructions from military and civilian defense officials.