June 27, 2003	Friday	Rabi-us-Sani 26,1424

DUBAI, June 26: Former Iraqi information minister Mohammed Saeed al Sahhaf, who earned the nickname, “Comical Ali”, during the Iraq invasion, handed himself in to US forces, but was released after questioning, an Arab TV station said on Thursday.

“Sahhaf said he handed himself over to the American forces and the Americans interrogated him, then they released him,” the channel said, showing footage of Mr Sahhaf during the interview.

Saeed Sahhaf was shown without his familiar military fatigues and beret, standing in a room chatting with an Al Arabiya reporter. His hair was completely grey and close cropped.

The former minister, who gained his unflattering nickname for proclaiming the defeat of US forces even as they moved into Baghdad and for his habit of fingering loaded weapons during news conferences, was not on the US “most wanted” list.

The statement said the interview, which was recorded in Baghdad, contained “much important information about the recent war and the fall of the Iraqi regime”.

Britain’s Daily Mirror newspaper said earlier this week that US troops had arrested Sahhaf at a roadblock in a Baghdad suburb. —Reuters