'Dr Anthrax' among dozens ex-Saddam officials freed

According to US military spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Barry Johnson, who declined to reveal their names, only eight detainees who were originally deemed to be security threats, were released.

"Many were originally held as suspects in possible war crimes and as material witnesses" in cases against the regime, he said.

"They no longer were deemed to have information in this regard," he said, adding that they were released Saturday.

But an Iraqi lawyer defending former regime officials stated that the real number was actually 24, including Huda Saleh Mahdi Amash, known as "Dr Anthrax", and Rihab Taha, "Dr Germ".

"It was a decision taken on December 4," he said under condition of anonymity, adding that a number of them had received passports to leave the country.

Amash was ranked 53rd on the US-led coalition's list of most wanted officials from the former regime and was arrested in May 2003 for her work in the regime's biologicial warfare program. She was a five of hearts in the deck of playing cards of the regime's most wanted.

Born in 1953, she holds biology degrees from the University of Missouri and the University of Texas.

Taha holds a PhD in microbiology from a British university and was the director of an institute where scientists were carrying out research on anthrax and a bioterrorist agent based on botulism toxins.