Iraq has announced that it will release all Jordanian prisoners currently held in its jails.

It follows a meeting in Baghdad between President Saddam Hussein and a prominent Jordanian opposition politician, Leith Shubeilat.

Iraq will also halt all legal proceedings against Jordanians in its courts.

No reason has been given for the decision. But it comes after an attack in Jordan early on Sunday in which senior Iraqi diplomat Hikmat al-Hajou was stabbed to death, along with his wife and six other people.

The killings took place at the home of a wealthy Iraqi businessman, Sami George Thomas, who was also among the dead.

Baghdad described the attack as a cowardly crime and is sending a senior official to Amman.

The Jordanian Prime Minister, Abd-al-Salam al-Majali, said he condemned the attack in the strongest terms.

It is not yet clear how many prisoners will be released.

A month ago Jordanian officials said they had won a pledge for a review of over 100 Jordanian prisoners in Iraq.

The review took place after a breakdown in relations between the two countries when Baghdad executed four Jordanian smugglers in December.
 

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