A Spanish judge re-issued international arrest warrants on Thursday for three US soldiers over the death of a Spanish TV cameraman in Iraq seven years ago by American tank fire.

National Court judge Santiago Pedraz's move followed a decision by Spain's Supreme Court earlier this month to reopen an inquiry into the death of Jose Couso during the shelling by US forces of a Baghdad hotel in April 2003.

The tank fire also killed a Reuters cameraman, Ukrainian-born Taras Protsyuk.

Pedraz also requested permission from Spain's judicial oversight board to travel to Iraq to view the site where the two men were killed, according to a copy of the court order viewed by AFP.

Washington has maintained that the three soldiers - Sergeant Shawn Gibson, Captain Philip Wolford and Lieutenant Colonel Philip DeCamp - acted appropriately in circumstances of war.