12 Qaida suspects escape prison in southern Iraq

Twelve suspected Qaida militants escaped Friday morning from a prison in Iraq's southern city of Basra, a local police source said.

"I can confirm that 12 members of al-Qaida organization escaped earlier today from the detention center in central Basra," the source told Xinhua on condition of anonymity.

The suspects are accused of involving in car bomb attacks carried out late last year in Basra, some 550 km south of Baghdad, killing and wounding dozens of Iraqis, the source said.

Source:Xinhua