A former U.S. Army private charged with taking part in the gang rape of an Iraqi girl and murdering her and her family should be sentenced to die if he is found guilty, U.S. government prosecutors said on Tuesday.

The U.S. attorney for the Western District of Kentucky filed the notice in federal court at Paducah, Kentucky, where Steven Green faces trial. He has been described in earlier military court proceedings as the ringleader of the March, 2006, incident.

Three other soldiers also involved in the rape-murder of Abeer Qassim al-Janabi and the deaths of her father, mother and six-year-old sister have been court-martialed and a fourth faces military trial later this summer.

Green was arrested and charged as a civilian after his military discharge in 2006 for a "personality disorder."

The incident unfolded after the soldiers drank whiskey, played cards and plotted to attack the family at Mahmudiya, south of Baghdad. Some of those involved poured kerosene on the girl's body and lit her on fire in an attempt to cover up the crime.

In Tuesday's notice prosecutors told the court they intend to seek the death penalty against Green because several of the 16 charges against him -- including premeditated murder -- warrant execution under federal law.

No trial date has been set.

Earlier this year Pvt. Bryan Howard was sentenced to 27 months in prison in the case under a plea agreement at his court-martial, as well as a dishonorable discharge.

Before that Sgt. Paul Cortez, 24, was sentenced to 100 years in prison under a plea agreement in military court, although he will be eligible for parole in 10 years.

Specialist James Barker pleaded guilty at his court-marital and was sentenced to 90 years in a military prison, also with the possibility of an earlier parole. Pvt. Jesse Spielman still faces court-martial.