Iraq promised Wednesday morning to free one of two high-profile women prisoners, but officials said the decision was not linked to demands by al Qaeda activists who executed two American hostages and threatened to slay a Briton unless all female Iraqi prisoners are released.
The Iraqi Justice Ministry announced that Iraq and US officails had agreed to free Dr. Rihab Rashid Taha on bail. Taha, a scientist who became known as "Dr. Germ" for helping Iraq make weapons out of anthrax, and Huda Salih Mahdi Ammash, a biotech researcher known as "Mrs. Anthrax," are the only two Iraqi women held in American custody, according to the U.S. military.
Lt. Col. Barry Johnson, a U.S. military spokesman, said he had no information about the expected release, declared by Justice Ministry spokesman Noori Abdul-Rahim Ibrahim. According to Johnson, a group of Iraqi male detainees had been previously scheduled to be freed Wednesday from Abu Ghraib prison.
On his part, Interim Iraqi Prime Minister Ayad Allawi said that no release of detainees was imminent. Disputing the earlier announcement from his government, Allawi said in an interview with The Associated Press from New York, that no decision had been made to free any prisoners.
Also Wednesday, Iraqi authorities confirmed a corpse was found with its decapitated head in a black plastic bag western Baghdad. The identity was not immediately known, but it was believed it was of Jack Hensley, an American hostage who was reportedly beheaded. (albawaba.com)
© 2004 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
