US forces free son of powerful Iraqi politician

BAGHDAD, Feb 23 (Reuters) US troops freed the eldest son of powerful Iraqi Shi'ite politician Abdul-Aziz al-Hakim today after detaining him for several hours at a border checkpoint with Iran, Iraqi officials said.

Ammar Hakim's convoy had been stopped at a checkpoint in Wasit province as he returned from Iran, Iraqi security sources and Shi'ite officials had said. It was not immediately clear why he had been detained.

His father is leader of the Supreme Council for the Islamic Revolution in Iraq (SCIRI), the biggest party in Shi'ite Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki's national unity cabinet.

REUTERS SAM RAI2342