FACILITIES BAGHDAD, July 8, SPA -- IRAQI AND U.S. AUTHORITIES RELEASED368 PRISONERS ON SATURDAY AS THEY CONTINUE TO WHITTLE DOWN THE NUMBER OF INMATES, THE JUSTICE MINISTRY SAID, AS PRIME MINISTER NOURI AL-MALIKI CONTINUES HIS NATIONALRECONCILIATION EFFORTS. DEPUTY JUSTICE MINISTER BUSHO IBRAHIM SAID A TOTAL OF SOME 2,721 DETAINEES WERE RELEASED BETWEEN JUNE 7 THROUGH JUNE 30, MORE THAN THE 2,500 THAT AL-MALIKI HAD PROMISED WOULD BE FREED. HE ALSO SAID 495 INMATES WERE RELEASED ON JULY 1, LEAVING ABOUT 11,550 IN AMERICAN CUSTODY. THE PRISONERS WERE BEING FREED AFTER THEIR CASES WEREREVIEWED BY A COMMITTEE, THE ASSOCIATED PRESS REPORTED. --SPA 08/07/2006 13:08 ت م www.spa.gov.sa/374082