Saddam-era figures freed in Iraq

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A number of former officials in Saddam Hussein's government have been released from detention by US forces in Iraq.
The military has not named any of the detainees, some of whom have already left the country, legal officials said.
"Many were originally held as suspects in possible war crimes and as material witnesses," said a US army spokesman. Reports have been circulating about a pre-election deal to free former regime figures as part to appease Iraq's Sunni Arabs, correspondents say.

There is no official confirmation of the number of detainees release, but reports range from eight to 26.
"They no longer were deemed to have information in this regard," said spokesman Lt Col Barry Johnson.
"They were released as part of an ongoing process for many months in full consultation with the Iraqi government," he added.

A legal official quoted by Associated Press said they included Dr Rihab Rashid Taha and Dr Huda Salih Mahdi Ammash, who worked on the former regime's banned biological weapons programmes. Al-Arabiya satellite TV channel said two former ministers and an aide to Saddam Hussein's late son Uday were also reported to be leaving Iraq for Jordan.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/4542084.stm