Did Troops Trade Photos of Iraq Dead for Porn?

WASHINGTON, Sept. 28, 2005 — -- Grisly photos of war dead posted on an Internet pornography site have exposed yet another unanticipated consequence of the proliferation of personal computer technology on the battlefield.

Taking what's called "trophy photos" of war dead is a practice as old as portable cameras. But digital cameras and Internet connections have made it possible for troops to blast such images around the world with the click of a mouse.

One controversial Web site shows photos of bloody body parts and mangled corpses -- photos, the site says, sent by U.S. troops in Iraq in exchange for free access to graphic pornography pictures.

One series of gruesome photos posted Tuesday showed bloody, naked, face-down male corpses from a variety of angles under the subject line, "Don't [expletive] with the U.S. Army."

"Some more insurgents sent to explain themselves to Allah," the caption read. "Killing is never a casual occurance [sic], but I would kill a thousand to save one American life. I am not responsible for the enemy casualties shown here."

Army investigators launched an initial probe into the dozens of grisly photos on the site, but the investigation stalled because most of the subjects of the photos were so badly deformed that it was impossible to determine their identity, let alone when and where the pictures were taken.

One military official said investigators are looking into whether insurgents may have posted the photos to generate outrage against U.S. forces.

However, a senior defense official acknowledged at least some of the images appeared legitimate. And an Army spokesman added that commanders in Iraq are pursuing service members whose identities could be clearly discerned from the photos.

"The military will work the matter within the chain of command in Iraq to ensure that personnel are aware of appropriate conduct and continue their sensitivity to the remains of local citizens and members of our armed forces," read a statement released at Army headquarters in the Pentagon.

Council on American-Islamic Relations Legal Director Arsalan Iftikhar sent a letter to Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld demanding he "investigate this troubling phenomenon and do whatever is necessary to bring it to an end."

Before this issue arose, several soldiers had already been fined or demoted for posting sensitive information about U.S. military operations to their own blogs.

This summer, commanders in Iraq issued rules on what can be posted on soldier blogs. But those guidelines focused on "unit and soldier owned and maintained Websites" and targeted "operational security" rather than prurience.

Pentagon officials say posting photos of dead insurgents on the Internet already is covered by a military law that forbids "conduct unbecoming an officer and a gentleman." A defense official said such photos might also violate Geneva Convention rules on respect for the remains of those who have died as a result of hostilities."