Accused U.S. rapist to ask for Japanese house arrest

OKINAWA, Japan (CNN) -- The attorney for a U.S. serviceman accused in the alleged rape of a Japanese woman said Tuesday he would ask for his client to be released on bail from Japanese detention and placed under house arrest at the U.S. military base where he has been stationed.

Air Force Staff Sgt. Timothy Woodland has been in jail in Okinawa since July 6 without being formally indicted. Japanese law allows Woodland to be held up to 24 days without formal charges being filed.

Woodland attorney Tsuyoshi Arakaki said he'll ask the court Wednesday to release Woodland to the Kadena Air Base, where he would be confined under house arrest, since the U.S. military is holding his passport, preventing him from leaving the country. Woodland is stationed at the air base on the southern Japanese island.

Woodland has denied he raped the woman, and he has contended that any sexual contact was consensual.

U.S. Defense Department sources tell CNN that several U.S. military personnel saw the incident early the morning of June 29 and at least one Marine has reported that the woman appeared to be protesting during the alleged incident, the sources said.

According to a "Status of Forces Agreement" with Japan, U.S. military members do not have to be handed over to Japanese authorities unless they have been indicted. But a clause added after the 1995 rape of a girl by three U.S. servicemen allows for a member of the U.S. military to be taken into custody ahead of indictment in cases involving a heinous crime.