The US military freed a Reuters television cameraman yesterday after holding him for three weeks in Iraq without charges.

Ali al-Mashhadani, who also works freelance for the BBC and Washington-based National Public Radio, was detained in Baghdad on July 30 while he was in the Green Zone government compound for routine checks for a US military press card.

US forces have detained Mr Mashhadani twice before, at one point holding him for five months, but no charge has ever been filed against the cameraman, who is based in Ramadi, the capital of western Anbar province.

The US military said at the time of his latest arrest that he was held "because he has been assessed to be a threat to the security of Iraq and coalition forces", but did not elaborate.

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