Relative: Former Iraqi parliament speaker detained by US troops

US occupation troops arrested Iraq's former parliament speaker Saadun Hammadi at his home in Baghdad on May 29, one of his relatives told a news agency Tuesday. 

Hammadi was Iraq's parliament speaker until Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein's regime was ousted by the US-British coalition troops on April 9. 

The relative said a US military officer told him Hammadi would be detained at Baghdad's airport at the time of the arrest, AFP reported. 

"We tried to go visit him but we couldn't reach the airport because of US army checkpoints," he said. 

"I believe the Americans treat him well because he's a very respectable figure in Iraq and he's an old man too," he said. (Albawaba.com) 

© 2003 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)