WASHINGTON, June 1: The US Army is investigating reports of assaults against Iraqi civilians and thefts of their money and jewellery by troops during patrols, raids and house searches, defence officials said on Monday.

The probe by the US Army's Criminal Investigation Division, or CID, suggests that a major scandal over abuse of Iraqi prisoners by Americans goes beyond detention centres into the homes and streets of the troubled country.

"There are a number of criminal investigations by the Army into allegations of assault, theft and other issues that extend beyond the investigations into activities at detention facilities," Defence Department spokesman Bryan Whitman said.

"I am not aware whether any of those Criminal Investigation Division investigations have been concluded," he said in response to questions about the reported incidents that have drawn angry complaints from Iraqis.

Mr Whitman and other defence officials confirmed a report in The New York Times on Monday that the investigations of misconduct by troops had spread beyond detention centres such as the infamous Abu Ghraib prison near Baghdad.

Some US soldiers have been charged with physically and sexually abusing prisoners at the prison and investigators are also looking at other centres in Iraq and Afghanistan in a scandal that has inflamed the Arab world.

The Times reported that the Army was also investigating at least two dozen other cases, including the suspected theft of cash from Iraqis stopped by soldiers at roadside checkpoints, apparently under the pretext of confiscating money from suspected fighters or their financial backers.

IRAQIS' COMPLAINTS: Iraqis have accused US troops of stealing money and other property during what they said were aggressive and even destructive American raids on homes.