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Iraq frees Shiite militant in exchange for Briton, followers say
The Iraqi government freed a leading Shiite Muslim militant on Tuesday, his followers said, part of an exchange that saw a longtime British hostage freed last week.
High-level officials in the Iraqi government refused to confirm the release of Qais Khazali, a onetime aide and now rival of influential Shiite cleric Muqtada Sadr. Two of Khazali's followers discussed the release on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the issue.
A spokesman for the Iraqi Interior Ministry, Alaa Taii, told the Associated Press that Khazali had been freed. Taii could not be reached for further comment.