Iranian prisoners freed in Iraq
US army in Iraq releases nine Iranian detainees
Friday, 09, Nov 2007 01:57
Nine Iranians detained by US-led coalition forces in Iraq have been released, the Pentagon has said.
The detainees were freed after a "careful review" was conducted into whether they posed a security threat to Iraqis, a statement explained.
"Based on this review, all nine individuals were determined to no longer pose a security risk and to be of no continued intelligence value," a coalition spokesperson said.
"Today's release is similar to other detainee releases, which occur routinely throughout the year. In fact, there was a release ceremony for almost 500 detainees Thursday, and on average 50 detainees are released daily."
Two of the prisoners were among five people seized at what has now become an Iranian consulate building in Irbil, northern Iraq, earlier this year.
Tehran has expressed outrage at the detention of people it claimed were diplomats, while Washington suspected the men of belonging to the elite Quds force accused of arming Shia Muslim extremists.
One of the nine detainees released today has been held for more than three years after being intercepted when he fled the scene of a mortar attack.
All of the released men have been transferred to the Iranian embassy in Iraq, with Tehran saying it planned to transport them back to Iran as soon as possible.