4 al-Qaida prisoners escape US custody in Iraq

The breakout from Karkh Prison, formerly called Camp Cropper, is an embarrassment for the US military, which has handed over control of all of the detention facilities it used to run to the Iraqi government. But at the request of the Iraqis, the US has retained custody over some of the most dangerous prisoners, including those with ties to terrorist groups or Saddam Hussein's former regime.

US troops found two detainees attempting to escape from the compound on Wednesday evening, the military said in a statement. When they conducted a sweep of the whole facility, they discovered that four other detainees were missing.

"US Forces-Iraq, Iraqi Security Forces and the MoJ (Ministry of Justice) are working to apprehend these individuals," said Maj. Gen. Jerry Cannon, head of American detainee operations in Iraq. "This event is under investigation."

There was no details on how the escape happened, who was to blame or who the people were that escaped.

An Iraqi military spokesman, Maj. Gen. Qassim al-Moussawi, told The Associated Press that the Americans informed them Thursday morning that four Iraqis being held by the US had broken out of the facility, although it was not clear exactly when or how they escaped.

He said the men were linked to al-Qaida and facing the death penalty; Kazinform cites China Daily.

See www.chinadaily.com.cn for full version.