U S soldier convicted of indecent acts in Iraq

BAGHDAD, Feb 23 (Reuters) A U S soldier was convicted of indecent acts and lying after he attempted to force himself on a junior US soldier in her room at a base in Iraq, the US military said today.

A US statement said Sergeant Daniel Edwards Franklin followed a 19-year-old private to her room at a US military logistics base called Anaconda, north of Baghdad, in October.

''He attempted to force intimate contact upon the soldier,'' the statement said, adding that Franklin had also lied during an investigation and on the witness stand, saying that he was only in her room for five minutes and never touched her.

''The then 19-year-old victim knew her attacker and testified she often would seek out guidance and assistance from the 34- year-old Sgt. 1st Class Franklin in the days before the attack,'' the statement said.

A court martial sentenced Franklin to be stripped of his rank and reduced to a private.

REUTERS SAM HT2342