Some of the 50 Jordanian prisoners released by Iraq January 21 celebrate after a general amnesty was granted from President Saddam Hussein, before the group left Baghdad in a convoy led by a prominent Jordanian opposition leader. Some Jordanians have seen Saddam's decision to hand over the prisoners to Jordanian Islamist dissident Leith Shubeilat as a direct snub to King Hussein, a close ally of Iraq who turned against Saddam two years ago.

IRAQ RELEASE