Hazing scandal

German Defense Minister Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg on Tuesday urged a probe into the reports of ritual hazing and abuse at a mountain infantry training camp in Mittenwald in southern Germany.

"We need to clarify the incidents and draw appropriate consequences," the minister told public broadcaster ZDF in an interview.

Germany's military commissioner Reinhold Robbe, who was informed about the incidents, submitted a report to the parliament's defense policy committee this week.

The scandal surface after a young soldier who trained at the camp came forward to describe soldiers being forced to drink alcohol to the point of vomiting and to eat raw pig's liver. He also said they were forced to complete climbing exercises in the nude.

Robbe said the complaints were "basically" confirmed by the soldier's divisional commander.

A spokesman for the mountain infantry unit acknowledged the events in an interview with German news agency dpa. "The rituals were performed among the ranks," he said, adding that new recruits were required to complete the hazing in order "to be considered a real mountain infantryman."

An internal investigation into the hazing accusations found that the incidents took place outside the barracks and outside of official work hours. According to the complaint, superiors were aware of the rituals but did not intervene.

hf/AP/apn/dpa
Editor: Sonia Phalnikar