Brigadier General Michael Nevin of US military police said many of these youngsters, mainly 15, 16 or 17 years of age are illiterate.'

The juveniles are being held in Camp Cropper near Baghdad airport and are part of the nearly 26,000 detainees held by the US military across Iraq.

But these youngsters, dressed in red jumpsuits, make up almost 25 percent of the 4,000 detainees held at Camp Cropper in Baghdad.

The US military currently holds detainees in two prisons in Iraq, Camp Cropper and Camp Bucca in the southern port city of Basra. Camp Bucca holds most of the detainees.

'These juveniles have been involved in something that is a perceived as a security threat to Iraq or coalition forces,' Nevin said during a tour of Camp Cropper.

The number of juvenile detainees has skyrocketed since the surge in US troops was launched in February.

'In January we had around 100 juveniles. Now we have around 950,' Nevin said.


Agencies