Haditha marine commander in court

The US marines say they came under fire after a roadside bombing

The commander of a US marines battalion accused of killing 24 Iraqi civilians in the village of Haditha has appeared before a military court.

Lt Col Jeffrey R Chessani is the highest-ranking officer charged in the incident, which took place in November 2005 after a bomb killed a US soldier.

The military equivalent of a grand jury will decide whether he stands trial.

He could be charged with dereliction of duty and violating a lawful order for failing to investigate the deaths.

Three other officers are also charged with dereliction of duty, and three marines face murder charges.

Testimony exchange

Iraqi witnesses say the shootings were in retaliation for a roadside bomb that had killed Lance Cpl Miguel Terrazas as his convoy drove through Haditha, 240km (150 miles) north-west of Baghdad.

In April, the Marine Corps dropped all charges against one soldier, Sgt Dela Cruz, and granted him immunity in exchange for his testimony.

If found guilty, the three marines charged with second-degree murder could face life imprisonment.

The Haditha inquiry is just one of a number the US military has been conducting into incidents of alleged unlawful killings by US forces in Iraq.