Saddam frees 24 Egyptian prisoners

In the line with president Saddam Hussein's decision to free all Arabs in Iraqi jails, Iraq's government released a first group of 24 Egyptian prisoners, an Egyptian official said here.

"24 of the 578 Egyptian prisoners in Iraq Jails have been set free" the official added, saying the Egyptian foreign ministry has made contact with its diplomatic mission to carry out the formalities for the prisoners return to Egypt.

Iraqi president, at the request of Arab league chief Esmat Abdul Maguid last week, agreed to the releases as a good will gesture at a time Iraq is seeking Arab support in its crisis with America over UN arms inspections.