[JURIST] US Attorney General Alberto Gonzales [DOJ profile] made a surprise visit to Iraq Sunday to meet with US soldiers, Justice Department officials currently training Iraqi judges and law enforcement officers, and his counterparts in the Iraqi government. Gonzales commended the country's efforts to secure democracy and the rule of law amidst recent attacks by insurgent forces. He also denounced abuses by US soldiers at the Abu Ghraib prison, saying blame fell on a few individuals and that their actions were not approved US policy. Joining Gonzales on his trip was Max Wood [DOJ profile], a US Attorney for Georgia who will serve as the senior US law enforcement official in Iraq. On the flight home to Washington Gonzales said that the Iraqi government would accept US help in the investigation and prosecution of cases involving the kidnapping and/or killing of government officials, such as that of Ihab al-Sherif, the newly-named Egyptian emissary to Iraq who was abducted by gunmen Saturday night in Baghdad. AP has more.