Maliki to Release Detainees and Open Dialogue with Insurgents

Prime minister Nuri al-Maliki is expected to reveal his national reconciliation plan on Thursday that includes releasing detainees and beginning talks with insurgents and the opposition. He called on political leaders and clerics to mobilize public opinion to support the government's efforts in creating a united and safe Iraq. Maliki said he hoped that the security plan would help displaced families return to their homes. He called the plan a humanitarian project that follows human rights principles. He affirmed that the plan does not target one certain area and that (the government) will target terrorists, not certain areas. (The former Shia-dominated government was accused of conducting raids, searches and military operations in Sunni Arab areas.)