U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld says the perpetrators of the abuse in the latest Abu Ghraib images have already been punished.
Rumsfeld made the comment during a House committee meeting when asked about the photographs and videos, which were first shown on Australian television this week. The images are more than two years old.
Rumsfeld said those involved have been court martialed, and imprisoned or demoted for what he described as "unacceptable" behavior. The Iraqi government and public have expressed outrage.
Prime Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari's office condemned the abuse. The images show detainees hooded and naked, with one hanging upside-down from a bed at the Baghdad prison. S
ome have various injuries and marks on their bodies. Similar images of abuse published in 2004 sparked widespread protests.
A Pentagon spokesman says more than 25 service members have been disciplined. But he also expressed concern that the images could incite unnecessary violence.
Information for this report is provided by AP, AFP and Reuters.
