Iraq to reopen Abu Ghraib prison

The Iraqi government will reopen the notorious Abu Ghraib prison next month, under a new name, a senior justice official said today.

The announcement came as the US military began handing over detainees in its custody to the Iraqis under a new security agreement.

Deputy Justice Minister Busho Ibrahim said the renovated facility would be called Baghdad’s Central Prison because the previous name had left a “bitter feeling inside Iraqis’ hearts”.

Ibrahim said the prison would house 3,500 inmates when it reopened in mid-February and would have a capacity for about 15,000 by the end of this year.

He said the prison would be operated according to international standards.