Lyon, France - Police in 186-member countries received a special INTERPOL notice Sunday warning of the potential threat after the reported escape by a nephew of Saddam Hussein from a prison near Mosul, Iraq.

INTERPOL considers the escape of Ayman Sabawi, who was serving prison sentences for possession of illegal weapons and for the manufacture of explosive devices used in terrorist attacks, a threat to all INTERPOL member countries and has issued an INTERPOL Orange Notice to alert its national central bureaus and member country police services around the world about the potential risk to their citizen’s safety posed by his escape.

'INTERPOL has issued this Orange Notice to alert law enforcement in our member countries about the risk posed by the escape of a person convicted of explosives and terrorist-related charges,' said Ronald K. Noble, INTERPOL’s Secretary General. 'This prepares them for the eventual issuance of an INTERPOL international wanted persons notice (Red Notice) for his arrest.'

The Orange Notice was originally designed to warn police, public entities and other international organizations of potential threats related to disguised weapons, explosives and other dangerous materials; however, it can also be issued by INTERPOL’s Secretary General for any act or event that poses a risk to the safety and security of citizens in any of INTERPOL’s 186-member countries.

In light of the increasing number of reported escapes this year of charged and convicted terrorists and other presumed dangerous individuals, Secretary General Noble has taken the decision to issue Orange Notices to warn of such escapes until such time as international wanted persons notices are received.

More information on INTERPOL notices, its three core functions and five priority crime areas is available at www.INTERPOL.int.