General Michael Hagee's trip signaled growing alarm over a flurry of criminal probes into allegations marines killed at least 15 Iraqi, men, women and children on November 19 and an Iraqi man in another incident on April 26.

Hagee told the Marine Corps Times on Wednesday that marines will face criminal charges in the November 19 incident in the town of Haditha in western Iraq. The Washington Times said defense lawyers expect murder charges to be filed against one or more marines.

In a message to the troops, Hagee said he was concerned about the allegations.

"To most marines, the most difficult part of courage is not the raw physical courage that we have seen so often on today's battlefield," he said. "It is rather the moral courage to do the 'right thing' in the face of danger or pressure from other marines."

He acknowledged the complexities of combat against insurgents in Iraq but he warned them of "the risk of becoming indifferent to the loss of a human life, as well as bringing dishonor upon themselves."

"We use lethal force only when justified, proportional and, more importantly, lawful," he said.

"We must regulate force and violence, we only damage property that must be damaged, and we protect the non-combatants we find on the battlefield," he said.

In another sign of high level concern, a Marine general briefed the Senate Armed Services Committee about the investigations behind closed doors.

Senator John Warner, the committee chairman, said they were "very, very serious allegations and there have been facts substantiated to date to underpin those allegations as to what occurred, not to the individuals and their accountability."

He said Hagee was "deeply affected by this."

Major General Richard Zilmer, the commander of the US forces in western Iraq, asked the Navy Criminal Investigative Service to investigate after Iraqis raised the incident with marine leaders on May 1, the military said.

"A preliminary investigation conducted by MNF-W (Multi-National Force-West) found sufficient information existed to recommend a criminal investigation into the incident," the military said in a statement.

It said several marines from the 5th Marine Regiment's 3rd Battalion were suspected of involvement in the incident and have been sent back to the United States pending the outcome of the investigation.

The statement provided no details on the incident except to say that it occurred on April 26 in the area of Hamanidiya, west of Baghdad.

A spokesman for the command said he could provide no other details because the matter was under investigation.

The most serious incident to date are the allegations that marines went on a rampage in Haditha following a roadside bombing in which a Marine was killed and two were wounded.

Warner said the evidence gathered includes photographs, which raised the specter of another Abu Ghraib-type shock.

The senator expressed hope that the public would keep in mind "the magnificent performance" of the other million troops who have served in Iraq or Afghanistan.

Representative Duncan Hunter, the chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, said last week that two investigations into the Haditha incident were expected to be completed next month.

They included the criminal probe and a separate investigation into how it was reported up the military chain of command.

The military was also investigating a March 15 incident in the village of Al Bu Seifa, north of Baghdad, near the town of Balad, in which at least four civilians -- two women, a child and a man -- but possibly as many as 11 civilians were killed.

The military said US troops looking for an Al-Qaeda suspect came under fire as they raided a house.

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