Iraq's ministry of 'justice' informed the BBC a couple of hours ago that six of the eight women being held by coalition forces in Iraq have been released early because there was insufficient evidence to charge them.

Those holding Jill Carroll issued a statement yesterday saying that the US journalist would be killed unless all Iraqi women prisoners are freed. It is not the first time that the abductors of Western hostages in Iraq have called for the release of women prisoners.

In October 2004, Briton Ken Bigley and two American hostages were beheaded after demands for the release of female prisoners were ignored. At the time the Bush administration said that only two women were being held in Iraq - Huda Salih Mahdi Ammash and Rihab Taha, known to the media as Dr Germ and Mrs Anthrax.

In November 2004, British aid worker Margaret Hassan was abducted and later murdered. Before her death she appeared in a similar hostage video calling for the release of women prisoners.

The U.S. officials have so far refused to confirm today news for the release of six women but say that any release would connected to the demands of the kidnappers.