US says female Iraqi detainee release not imminent News
US says female Iraqi detainee release not imminent

[JURIST] White House spokesman Scott McClellan said Thursday there is no immediate plan to release six of eight women detained by US forces in Iraq. His comment and similar ones from US military spokesmen follow statements by Iraq's Justice Ministry [Global Security backgrounder] earlier in the day that the women were being freed [JURIST report]. The ministry said the move was not related to demands by kidnappers of freelance journalist Jill Carroll [CNN profile, CSM updates] to release all female detainees in Iraq within 72 hours. Reuters has more.