German officers found guilty of recruit abuse

BERLIN, Aug 27 (Reuters) A German court today found two army officers guilty of mistreating recruits with beatings and water torture, a case that sparked public outrage in a nation sensitive to military abuses because of its Nazi past.

The court in the northwestern city of Muenster sentenced one of the officers to 18 months probation and fined the other 2,400 euros. Two other officers were acquitted.

Cases are still pending against 11 soldiers in the German military's biggest post-war criminal misconduct trial. Some are accused of torturing recruits with electric shocks.

In March, state prosecutors accused an army company commander and 17 junior officers of mistreating and degrading army recruits on simulated hostage-taking exercises.

The German military has rigidly enforced codes protecting soldiers against improper conduct by superiors, in reaction to the Nazi past, and even encourages recruits to disobey orders if they believe they are illegal.

According to court documents, recruits were beaten and kicked, and some had water pumped into their mouths and noses to simulate drowning. Prosecutors said the abuse, more than 160 counts in total, took place in 2004.

The officers denied any wrongdoing, saying their actions complied with army training guidelines and the recruits had verbally agreed to the treatment.

REUTERS SY KP2247