US military dog handlers in Iraq's Abdul Ghraib prison used dogs to terrify detainees, and at least two of them were bit by these dogs, witnesses said at a pretrial military hearing on Tuesday.

Witnesses testified at the Fort Meade military base hearing outside Washington that Sergeant Santos Cardona and Sergeant Michael Smith were involved in the incidents. They described events in which unmuzzled dogs were released by military dog handlers in a competition to frighten prisoners into urinating on themselves.

Private Ivan Frederick, convicted of abusing prisoners at Abu Ghraib, testified by phone from a military prison about one incident in which Cardona's dog bit a naked inmate on the left and right thighs.

Private Sabrina Harman, who is serving a six-month sentence for her involvement in the Abu Ghraib scandal, testified that she also witnessed a dog attack on a detainee and said that one bite was so severe it required 12 stitches.

The pretrial military hearing will determine whether Cardona and Smith will be court-martialed. Both are charged with cruelty and maltreatment, aggravated assault, dereliction of duty, and making false statements. If convicted, Cardona could face up to 16 and a half years in jail, and Smith could face a sentence of up to 29 and a half years.

So far eight US Army reservists have been convicted for their roles in the Abu Ghraib prisoner abuse scandal.

(Xinhua News Agency July 27, 2005)