French reporter free to leave Iraq soon

BAGHDAD: A French reporter released after being held for three weeks in Iraq will be free to leave in two days, when his case is closed after bail proceedings are finalized, a security official said yesterday.
Nadir Dendoune, who was detained in January for allegedly taking unauthorized photographs of security installations but freed earlier this month, is currently at the French embassy in Baghdad, the official told AFP on condition of anonymity.
Dendoune was arrested while reportedly visiting Iraq to compile a series of stories on the upcoming 10th anniversary of the US-led invasion of the country for French magazines Le Monde Diplomatique and Le Courier de l’Atlas.
Iraqi judicial sources claimed that Dendoune, who also holds Australian and Algerian passports, was arrested carrying a camera with which he took pictures of the Iraqi intelligence service headquarters, army and police.
Dendoune’s sister Houria told AFP from Paris, however, that her brother was arrested while taking pictures of a water treatment plant.