US military released "Mrs Anthrax" and "Dr Germ"

"Many were originally held as suspects in possible war crimes and as material witnesses" in cases against the regime, he said.

"They no longer were deemed to have information in this regard," he said, adding that they were released Saturday.

An Iraqi lawyer said a total of 24 former senior Saddam officials had recently been released, including Huda Saleh Mahdi Amash, known as "Mrs Anthrax", and Rihab Taha, "Dr Germ".

"It was a decision taken on December 4," he said on condition of anonymity, adding that a number of them had received passports to leave the country.

Amash was ranked 53rd on the US-led coalition's list of most wanted officials and was arrested in May 2003 for her work in the regime's biologicial warfare program.





Taha holds a PhD in microbiology from a British university and was the director of an institute where scientists were carrying out research on anthrax and a bioterrorist agent based on botulism toxins.

The two were high ranking Baath party members and the only women in US hands.

Reports had swirled around on Sunday about the release of several top figures from the old regime as part of a deal to appease the disaffected Sunni Arab minority in the aftermath of elections -- a deal the lawyer confirmed.