The United States said yesterday it would launch a carrot-and-stick drive to secure lasting peace in Iraq by cracking down harder on guerrillas while freeing hundreds of prisoners deemed low-security threats. âIt is time for reconciliation, time for Iraqis to make common cause,â Iraqâs US governor Paul Bremer told a news conference. About 500 Iraqis held as low-level security threats in the last eight months are due to be released. Coalition officials said the releases â out of some 12,800 prisoners â are also aimed at encouraging Iraqis to provide intelligence tips to the US authorities.
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Before they are freed, the prisoners must sign a statement renouncing violence and have a community or tribal leader act as a âguarantorâ for their conduct, Bremer said. âThey made a mistake and they know it. But we are prepared to offer some of them a new chance,â Bremer said. âIt is time for reconciliation, time for Iraqis to make common cause in building the new Iraq.â The first release will be today, when about 100 prisoners will be freed from Abu Ghraib, a notorious prison under Saddamâs regime. Further releases will take place in coming weeks from camps across Iraq, officials said. |