Iraq began releasing political prisoners under an unprecedented amnesty issued Sunday by President Saddam Hussein to inmates and exiles to mark his perfect 100 percent win in an uncontested election last week.The move to free all political prisoners and most other inmates was seen as part of Saddam's campaign to rally Iraqis behind his leadership at a time when he faces the prospect of U.S. military action to topple him.

Witnesses said they saw scores of prisoners leaving a prison in Baghdad. Relatives, some carrying large pictures of Saddam, flocked to jails in and around Baghdad to await the release of their loved ones.

"With our blood and souls we redeem you Saddam," prisoners chanted as they were freed. Overjoyed detainees danced and sang songs praising Saddam. Emotions ran high as many were reunited with their families.

"May God protect Saddam, I'll never do wrong again," one jubilant prisoner told Reuters.

"This is the best day of my life, long live Saddam," the mother of another prisoner said.

Officials said all pardoned prisoners would be released within 48 hours. They gave no figures but the number of freed prisoners was expected to total several thousand.

"The generous amnesty by his excellency the president is to show gratitude and pride in the heroic stand of the people who said Yes to him (in the referendum)," Interior Minister Mahmoud Diyab al-Ahmed told reporters.

Other witnesses said inmates were also being released from Abu Gharib jail on the outskirts of the capital, where most political prisoners are believed to be held.

FIRST AMNESTY OF ALL POLITICAL PRISONERS

The amnesty was the first time Saddam has pardoned all political prisoners in his 23-year rule.

Over the years he had ordered the release of small numbers of prisoners or cut the jail terms of others.

"All jailed prisoners, detainees and sentenced fugitives for political reasons are granted a complete, comprehensive and final amnesty," Saddam declared in the decree.

The amnesty also covered most criminal prisoners and those held for evading military service.

"Prisoners and detainees will be set free immediately except in the case of those who are sentenced or detained because of murder, then they would be set free only if the families of victims would forgive them or if they pay back their debts to the government or people," it said.

The amnesty was issued in a statement released to the Iraqi state media. In another decree, the amnesty was extended to Arab prisoners, excluding those held or sentenced on charges of spying for Israel and the United States.

Official results from Tuesday's presidential referendum, dismissed by Washington, showed every one of the nearly 11.5 million Iraqis eligible to vote turned out to cast a Yes ballot, giving Saddam another seven-year term in office.

"In light of these results...we show mercy rather than punishment, and amnesty rather than implementing the law and legal persecution," Saddam said in a statement read on Iraqi television by Information Minister Mohammed Saeed al-Sahaf.

Saddam urged Iraqis who were victims of the prisoners to also show mercy and forgive them.

He said circumstances in Iraq since the 1990-91 Gulf crisis over Kuwait allowed "some parasites" to flourish but dissidents could not harm the strong ties between the leadership and the people.

The main opponents of Saddam's rule are either outside Iraq or in a Kurdish enclave in the north outside his control. The main exiled groups hope to play a role in any post-Saddam era.

Washington accuses Saddam of developing weapons of mass destruction -- nuclear, chemical and biological -- and wants to unseat him. Iraq denies having such weapons.

PHOTO CAPTION

President Saddam Hussein issued an unprecedented general amnesty Oct. 20, 2002, to all political prisoners and exiles sentenced in absentia. In this Oct. 17 photograph, Saddam is seen showing a sword presented to him as a gift before being sworn in as president for the next seven years. (Iraqi News Agency/Reuters)