Female wrestling at US camp probed by Sunday 06 February 2005 11:59 PM GMT
Abu Ghraib prison was the scene of abuse and torture allegations
An alleged female mud-wrestling competition in a US military camp in Iraq has the Pentagon investigating a "serious breakdown in US military discipline".
According to the Saturday edition of the New York Daily News, several female US soldiers led a mud-wrestling match in their bras and panties, while other female soldiers showed – flashed - their breasts to their male colleagues in several incidents at the Army's Camp Bucca prison in southern Iraq.
The newspaper claimed that it had received 30 leaked photos of incidents alleged on 30 October 2004 which "could have been snapped at an out-of-control frat party".
"The episode, which experts called a serious breakdown of military discipline, prompted a probe in Iraq and still is under investigation by stateside military authorities," the paper said.
It cited more serious allegations - that various sergeants had organised the party, lent their rooms to soldiers for sex and were seen "noticeably drunk" during the episode - were being investigated by military authorities in the US.
The mud-wrestling party, the paper alleged, was organised by the 160th Military Police Battalion, an Army Reserve unit from Tallahassee, Florida, to celebrate their return to the US that week.
According to the Daily News, only one soldier has been punished. Deanna Allen, 19, was demoted from specialist to private first class.