Saddam's nephew escapes from prison

Saddam Hussein’s nephew escaped from prison today in northern Iraq, authorities said.

Ayman Sabawi, the son of Saddam’s half brother Sabawi Ibrahim Hassan al-Tikriti, fled the prison some 45 miles west of Mosul in the afternoon with the help of another police officer, according to local police Brig. Abdul Karim al-Jubouri.

Interior Ministry spokesman Brig. Abdul-Karim Khalaf confirmed the escape but declined to elaborate.

Sabawi was apprehended in May 2005 by US and Iraqi forces near Saddam’s hometown of Tikrit and sentenced four months later to life in prison for funding Iraq’s violent insurgency and for bomb-making.

He also was later sentenced to 15 years in prison for illegally crossing the border from Syria.