LONDON, United Kingdom: As Kuwait has drawn up a list of charges against ousted Iraqi dictator Saddam and hundreds of his officials for war crimes and Iraqi leader Sayyed Abdul Aziz Al-Hakim pointed out that three groups one of them is remnants of former regime are carrying out terrorism in the country, US forces have released a detained leader of Ba’ath party and a number of Saddam ministers.

Bad’i Aref Izzat, lawyer for former Iraqi deputy Prime Minister Tareq Aziz, announced that American authorities have released the leader of Ba’ath party Ghazi Mahmoud Al-Obeidi who was detained in airport jail, specified for elements of ousted regime.

In a statement to Al-Arabiya channel, Izzat said the authorities have signed orders of release of 18 elements of Saddam regime. They include former minister for oil Amer Muhammad Rashid and his wife Rehab Taha (her release along with Ba’ath party leader Hoda Salih Amash was one of several demands of terrorists that have been carrying out constant terror operations in the country), cultural minister Hamed Yousaf Hammadi, Director national supervising Hassam Muhammad Amin, scientist Hazem Ar-Rawi, scientist Thamir At-Tayi, Director central bank Assam Hawesh, an official in the office of Odi Saddam, Thaer Ad-Dehan and many others.

The lawyer did not elaborate reasons of release of these several criminals who were seized following the fall of despot regime in April 2003. He told that Al-Obeidi will be taken to Jordan by his family for treatment.

Izzat revealed that another batch of detainees will be released after first batch, and that no charges were labeled against Tareq Aziz.

On Wednesday, Kuwaiti prosecutors said their country will soon present to an Iraqi tribunal a long list of crimes it says were committed by former occupier Saddam.

They said in a statement carried by the state news agency KUNA that the list had been sent to Kuwait's foreign ministry to present to the tribunal that will try Iraq's ousted president and other former leaders.

The Kuwait public prosecution's list included crimes against humanity, dealing with the disappearance of 605 people, mostly Kuwaitis, during the seven-month occupation and ensuing war. Kuwait has identified the remains of more than 200 of them following the ouster of Saddam.

The list also referred to war crimes including torture and the killing of 603 "martyrs", including prisoners of war whose remains were found in mass graves in Iraq. It also listed the use of armed force against Kuwait.

Meanwhile, Iraqi death toll over the past two weeks climbed to 400, one of the most violent periods since the US invasion two years ago.