American army releases senior former Iraqi officials

In a remarkable development, Iraqi sources said that the American army released 24 to 25 senior former Iraqi officials, noting that among the released were Huda Salewh Mahdi Ammash, member of the dissolved Baath Party regional leadership, former higher education minister Humam Abdul Haleq and former minister of transport Ahmad Murtada.

Among the released persons were also Rihab al-Taha, the official for the former Iraqi biological weapons program, and Sattam al-Ka'oud the secretary general of the National Front For The Iraqi Intellectuals.

The spokesman for the Iraqi army confirmed the release of 8 former officials in the course of an operation that started several months ago and in complete agreement with the Iraqi government. He added that the majority of the released persons were arrested on charges pertinent to war crimes or to get testimonies that can be used against the former regime.

In this regard, a German diplomatic source said that the driver of the German archeologist Suzanne Ostove, who was just released, was also released on Monday. On Sunday the kidnappers released Ostove after three weeks of kidnapping.