Released Jordanian prisoners leave Baghdad: Iraqi report

Excerpt from report by the Iraqi news agency INA

Baghdad, 21st January: Jordanian prisoners and detainees, released on the orders of President Saddam Husayn, left Baghdad for Jordan at 0730 [0430 gmt] today.

The INA correspondent said that 17 cars carrying 50 released Jordanian prisoners and detainees left [in convoy] behind the car of Layth Shubaylat, president of the Jordanian Engineers Association, on their way to Jordan.

The correspondent said that 18 released Jordanian prisoners and detainees decided to stay in Iraq at their own request.

In press statements to INA, the released Jordanian citizens expressed their pride in President Saddam Husayn's noble order to release them.

They said this noble order embodies the genuine and noble Arab values harboured by the president towards his Arab brothers.

During a meeting with Jordanian Engineers Association President Layth Shubaylat on Sunday [18th January], President Saddam Husayn ordered that all Jordanian prisoners who are serving various sentences be released, and that all legal measures against others be stopped and that they be released immediately...

Source: INA news agency, Baghdad, in Arabic 0800 gmt 21 Jan 98

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