One day after news of the beheading of American hostage Jack Hensley, the Iraqi Justice Ministry said Wednesday that Rihab Rashid Taha will be released from American custody Thursday and that Huda Salih Mahdi Ammash may follow soon. The Abu Musab al-Zarqawi insurgent group had demanded the release of all Muslim women prisoners held by the US as a condition of sparing the lives of two kidnapped Americans and one Briton. JURIST's Paper Chase has background. BBC News has more.

UPDATE: AP is reporting that the US Embassy in Iraq will not release two "high-value" Iraqi women detainees immediately as announced by the Iraqi Jusice Ministry. The two women are suspected of involvement in Saddam Hussein's weapons programs. A report from Reuters is now available.

UPDATE 2: AP is now reporting that Iraqi interim Prime Minister Iyad Allawi has said that no detainees will be released immediately, although the status of some detainees is under review.