Senior Al Qaida detainees escape from Iraq prison

Baghdad: Four senior Al Qaida detainees escaped from a US-controlled section of a tightly guarded prison near Baghdad overnight, Iraqi and American military forces said on Thursday.

"Four senior members of Al-Qaeda escaped from Cropper prison on Wednesday evening," said Baghdad security spokesman Major General Qassim Atta, referring to the previous name for the facility now called Karkh prison.

Atta said the four were being held in a US-controlled section of the prison, which lies on Baghdad's outskirts, and added that authorities were investigating the escape.

A US military statement said it was discovered that the four had escaped shortly after two other prisoners had been caught trying to flee the jail.

"US Forces-Iraq, Iraqi security forces and the Ministry of Justice are working to apprehend these individuals," said Major General Jerry Cannon, the US deputy commanding General for Detainee Operations.

The prison, previously named Camp Cropper, was officially handed over to the Iraqi government on July 15, but around 200 high-value detainees remained under US custody.