Washington, Jan 14 (IANS): US Marine Corps Commandant Gen. James Amos has appointed a general to investigate and take any action stemming from a video of abuse by four Marines, the Pentagon said Friday.

The video, circulated on internet, appears to show four Marines urinating on the corpses of enemy fighters in Afghanistan, said Xinhua.

Marine Corps Lt. Gen. Thomas Waldhauser, commander of Marine Corps Forces Central Command, is officially designated as the "consolidated disposition authority" for the allegations surrounding the video.

Waldhauser's investigation will be conducted in coordination with the ongoing Naval Criminal Investigative Service probe into the incident.

Defense Secretary Leon Panetta on Thursday condemned the video, saying the behaviour depicted in the video is "utterly deplorable", and he ordered the Marine Corps and the International Security Assistance Force to investigate.

"Those found to have engaged in such conduct will be held accountable to the fullest extent," Panetta said in a statement.