Iraqi, US authorities release over 360 prisoners

(8 Jul 2006)
1. Families waiting for released prisoners in al-Alawi garage
2. Various, buses escorted by US military entering the garage
3. Zoom out from prisoners walking to wide of courtyard with soldiers and dogs
4. Prisoners walking
5. Prisoners kissing the ground
6. Prisoners walking towards their families
7. Various, prisoners and families running and hugging
8. Woman chanting and waving white cloth
9. Woman crying and hugging a released prisoner
10. Wide of released detainees and families
STORYLINE:
Iraqi and US authorities released 368 prisoners on Saturday as they continue to whittle down the number of inmates, the Iraqi Justice Ministry said, as Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki continues his national reconciliation efforts.
Families were waiting eagerly for their relatives to be released. The prisoners were given back to their families in al-Alawi garage, in Baghdad.
Iraqi Deputy Justice Minister Busho Ibrahim said a total of some 2,721 detainees were released between 7 June through 30 June, more than the 2,500 that al-Maliki had promised would be freed.
He also said 495 inmates were released on 1 July, leaving about 11,550 in American custody.
The prisoners were being freed after their cases were reviewed by a committee.
The US military has not provided a sectarian breakdown of those being released, but most were believed to be Sunnis, the minority that was dominant under ousted leader Saddam Hussein but lost power when he was ousted.
Sunnis frequently complain of random detentions and maltreatment at the hands of the Shiite-led government and the prisoner releases are seen as a key step toward soothing that anger and dampening the Sunni-led insurgency.

Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork
Twitter:   / ap_archive  
Facebook:   / aparchives   ​​
Instagram:   / apnews  


You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...