Martino is scheduled to brief lawmakers on the overall situation in Iraq and to answer questions about allegations of prisoner abuse by coalition forces in the war-torn country.

His appearance comes amid mounting calls for Italy to withdraw its 3,000 troops serving with the US-led occupation force in Iraq in protest at the torture scandal.

The moderate left-wing opposition urged Tuesday the immediate return of the soldiers, a day after Berlusconi himself expressed revulsion at the abuse of Iraqi prisoners in British and US detention documented in a leaked report by the International Committee of the Red Cross.

"Berlusconi must come before parliament before he goes to the United States next Thursday and say that he is no longer acting as a vassal," said Francesco Rutelli, leader of the centre-left Olive Tree coalition.

Berlusconi is heading to Washington on May 19, shortly before US President George W. Bush visits Italy in June to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the liberation of the city from the Nazis during World War II.

Italy's troop deployment in Iraq is third in size only to the United States and Britain, whose governments are scrambling to contain the firestorm over the prisoner abuse.

The wife of an Italian policeman killed in an attack in Iraq last November said Tuesday that Italian authorities were aware of the abuse taking place in Iraq's prisons where detainees were "treated worse than cockroaches".

"My husband saw a prison, a horrible place, where detainees were imprisoned naked," said Pina Bruno.

Her allegations prompted the defense ministry to issue a statement denying "having been informed by any source whatsoever of treatment of prisoners contrary to international humanitarian law".

There is also concern over the fate of three Italian security guards -- Maurizio Agliana, 37, Umberto Cupertino, 35, and Salvatore Stefio, 34 -- held hostage in Iraq since April 12.

A fourth hostage, Fabrizio Quattrocchi, 36, who was kidnapped the same day, was killed two days later.

WAR.WIRE