US accidentally frees Iraqi mass murder suspect

The US has acknowledged mistakenly releasing a former Iraqi official accused of being involved in the murder of thousands of Iraqi Shiites.

American forces have now offered a £15,000 (€21,000) reward for information leading to the recapture of Mohammed Jawad An-Neifus.

He was freed from the Bucca Internment facility at Umm Qasr on May 18 after he underwent a military court screening in which his true identity apparently was not known, US Central Command said.

An-Neifus is suspected of being involved in the murder of thousands of Iraqi Shiites when former President Saddam Hussein cracked down on a Shiite rebellion in southern Iraq at the end of the 1991 Gulf War.

The remains of the Shiites were later found in a mass grave in the southern city of Mahawil, Centcom said.

An-Neifus was first detained by US marines near Al Hillah on April 26, and was turned over to military police on April 29.

“US military forces are solely responsible for his erroneous release and are conducting a thorough investigation to ensure no further recurrences,” Centcom said.