Army generals say systemic problems at Abu Ghraib

WASHINGTON, May 19 (Reuters) - Systemic problems existed at the Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq where U.S. troops abused Iraqi prisoners, the head of the U.S. Central Command said on Wednesday.

Gen. John Abizaid, who is responsible for military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, told the Senate Armed Services Committee: "We will follow the trail of evidence wherever it leads. We will continue to correct systemic problems. We will hold people accountable and, in accordance with the Uniform Code of Military Justice, we will take appropriate action."

"From evidence already gathered, we believe that systemic problems existed at the prison and may have contributed to events there," he said. snip

In a report on ABC News on Tuesday, a former military intelligence staffer at Abu Ghraib prison, Sgt. Samuel Provance, said dozens of soldiers were involved in the abuse besides the seven military police reservists who have been charged.

Provance, now stationed in Germany, also said "there's definitely a cover-up."

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