Iraqi forces discover abducted British journalist

BAGHDAD – Iraqi forces searching a house for weapons said today they had stumbled upon a British journalist abducted in the southern city of Basra more than two months ago and released him unharmed.

The journalist, Richard Butler, was shown on Iraqi TV shortly after his release being greeted by Iraqi military officials in Basra. Speaking to Iraqi journalists on the scene, Butler said he had been sitting in a house with a hood over his head when “there was lots of shouting and gunfire.”

“The Iraqi Army stormed the house and overcame my guards. They burst through my door,” said Butler, who appeared healthy and spoke effusively, between hugs from Iraqi officials. They included Defense Minister Abdul Qadim Jasim and Lt. Gen. Mohan Freiji, the commander of Iraqi forces in Basra.

Jasim said that Iraqi forces, who since March 25 have been enforcing a crackdown on Shiite militias in Basra, were conducting house searches for weapons caches when they came upon Butler.

Butler and his Iraqi translator were seized Feb. 10 outside their central Basra hotel. The translator was released unharmed within days.

It was not immediately clear who had abducted the men or what their demands were. Several other foreigners remain missing in Iraq after having been abducted.

tina.susman@latimes.com

A special correspondent in Basra contributed to this report.