BAGHDAD, July 27 (KUNA) -- Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Al-Maliki on Saturday fired director of the prison service and referred senior security officers investigations against the backdrop of the mass prisoner breakout.
Al-Maliki made the decision following a meeting with the security committee on the breakout, his office said in a statement.
Initial investigations pointed to clear faults and shortcomings in the security system which enabled the prison inmates to contacts with fellow terrorists outside and arrange for the breakout.
The prison administration failed to adopt the necessary precautions despite earlier warnings, according to the statement.
Hundreds of prisoners fled the notorious maximum security Baghdad Central Prison (formerly known as Abu-Ghraib) following a massive armed attack on Sunday, July 21. (end) ahh.gb KUNA 280000 Jul 13NNNN