US military frees five women detainees

BAGHDAD - The US military in Iraq freed five women prisoners yesterday, but American and Iraqi officials stressed their release was pre-planned and not linked to the case of kidnapped US reporter Jill Carroll.

The kidnappers of Carroll, who was abducted in Baghdad on January 7, had threatened to kill her by last Friday unless all women prisoners were released. There has been no word on her fate.

The five, among at least eight women held by US forces in Iraq, were freed along with 414 other detainees, a US military spokesman said.

"The case of the women detainees is a legal case and it has nothing to do with the case of the American journalist," said a Justice Ministry official, who declined to be named.

The US military said in a statement that a panel comprising US and Iraqi officials had recommended the release of the women after reviewing their cases.

"We have released 419 women, including five women," a US military spokesman said.

The Justice Ministry had already publicised the panel's decision but until Thursday US officials were insisting no releases were imminent. Iraqi officials have suggested Washington did not want to be seen to be giving in to the hostage-takers' demands.

The ministry has said it has been pressing the US military to release the women, calling their detention a "disgrace".

The detention of women offends many Iraqis and US forces seek to avoid it in most cases. The US military is holding about 14,000 security detainees following the release of about 500 guerrilla suspects last week.

Many in the once-dominant Sunni Arab minority, which has fostered the insurgency against the US-backed, Shi'ite-led government, resent the detentions system and say thousands are held on flimsy evidence without recourse to the law.

More than 200 foreigners and thousands of Iraqis have been kidnapped since US forces toppled Saddam Hussein three years ago. Most have been freed but dozens of foreigners have been killed.

- REUTERS