Bilal Hussein Free At Last

The Washington Post reports that the U.S. military has now released Associated Press photographer Bilal Hussein after holding him for more than two years. Bilal was handed over to AP colleagues today in Baghdad.

The U.S. military accused Hussein of links to insurgents, and was detained by U.S. Marines on April 12, 2006 in Ramadi. An Iraqi judicial panel this month dismissed all allegations against Hussein and ordered his release. Hussein and the AP strongly denied any improper contacts by the 36-year-old photographer, saying he was doing the normal work of a photographer in a war zone.

The Washington Post's Bilal Freed

(AP Photo/Jim MacMillan)