430 detainee released as part of PM al-Maliki's national reconciliation efforts
(15 Jun 2006) Abu Ghraib prison, west of Baghdad 1. Prisoners behind metal fence 2. Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister Salam Zikam Ali al-Zubaie heading towards prisoners 3. US soldier opening door to detainees, detainees leaving prison 4. Al-Zubaie shaking hand with prisoners 5. Crowd of prisoners 6. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Salam Zikam Ali al-Zubaie, Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister: "The number of those who were released was 430 detainees. But I'd like to tell why those prisoners were released. This is an important point that should be known by every Iraqi. They were released for the sake of peace, for the sake of putting an end to violence and heading towards construction and peace together." 7. Various of prisoners getting into buses Baghdad's bus station, Allawi al-Hilla 8. US humvees driving at bus station with Iraqi soldiers, busses behind 9. Buses carrying prisoners driving past at parking lot 10. Prisoners getting off buses 11. Prisoners performing Muslim prayer, thanking God for being released 12. Various of prisoners hugging their relatives 13. People and released prisoners at bus station STORYLINE: US and Iraqi authorities released a third group of 430 detainees on Thursday as part of Iraqi Prime Minister al-Maliki's national reconciliation efforts, said Iraqi Deputy Prime Salam Zikam Ali al-Zubaie at Abu Ghraib prison where the detainees were released. Al-Zubaie congratulated the inmates waiting on Thursday at the Abu Ghraib detention centre west of Baghdad to board buses carrying them to freedom. Al-Zubaie said: "They were released for the sake of peace, for the sake of putting an end to violence and heading towards construction and peace together." After their arrival at Baghdad's main bus station, Allawi al-Hilla, some prisoners performed a Muslim prayer, thanking God for being released. The detainees being released on Thursday from US-run prisons around the country were among 2,500 detainees that Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki had promised to release by June 30. The first batch was 594 prisoners. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter: / ap_archive Facebook: / aparchives Instagram: / apnews You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...
