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SEATTLE — The German news organization Der Spiegel published photographs Sunday showing two U.S. soldiers posing with the corpse of an Afghan civilian they’re accused of murdering.

The photos were among several seized by Army investigators looking into the deaths of three unarmed Afghans last year. Five soldiers based at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, south of Seattle, have been charged with murder and conspiracy in the case.

The photographs were placed under a strict protective order that initially prevented even defense attorneys from obtaining copies.

One of the published photographs shows a key figure in the investigation, Cpl. Jeremy Morlock of Wasilla, Alaska, grinning as he lifts the head of a corpse by the hair. Der Spiegel identified the body as that of Gul Mudin, whom Morlock claims to have killed with Pvt. 1st Class Andrew Holmes on Jan. 15, 2010, in Kandahar.

Another photo shows Holmes, of Boise, Idaho, lifting the same corpse by the hair. His lawyer said Sunday that he was ordered to be in the photo, which was taken while the platoon leader, Lt. Roman Ligsay, was present.

Soldiers have told investigators that such photos of bodies were passed around like trading cards on thumb drives and other digital storage devices.

“Today, Der Spiegel published photographs depicting actions repugnant to us as human beings and contrary to the standards and values of the United States Army,” the Army said in a statement released by Col. Thomas Collins. “We apologize for the distress these photos cause.”

Morlock’s court-martial is scheduled for Wednesday. He has agreed to plead guilty to murder, conspiracy and other charges and to testify against his co-defendants in exchange for a maximum sentence of 24 years in prison.