Kerala youth held by us forces in Iraq released

An Indian who has been in custody of the US-led forces in Iraq for the past four months was released today, official sources said. A message to this effect was conveyed by India’s Charge D’Affairs in Baghdad S D Sharma to the External Affairs Ministry this evening.

Sijo, hailing from Kottayam district of Kerala, has been released from Abu Ghraib prison in Baghdad, the sources said, adding that he was on his way to the Indian Embassy.

Sijo, working with a Kuwaiti catering firm supplying food to US soldiers, was arrested about four months back on the charges of entering a ‘‘prohibited’’ area and taking photographs without permission. The US forces claimed he was found taking unauthorised photographs of Mosul Airport and was in possession of photos of other installations.