irc le ▁the ▁prison ▁they ▁were ▁being ▁held ▁at ▁and ▁after ▁night fall ▁members ▁of ▁A ▁Squadron ▁S AS ▁storm ed ▁the ▁house ▁the ▁prisoners ▁had ▁been ▁moved ▁to ▁and ▁res cu ed ▁the ▁captured ▁oper atives . ▁According ▁to ▁the ▁governor ▁of ▁Bas ra ▁province , ▁Moh ammed ▁al - W ail i , ▁the ▁British ▁had ▁used ▁" more ▁than ▁ten ▁t anks ▁back ed ▁by ▁hel ic op ters " ▁to ▁carry ▁out ▁the ▁ra id . ▁After ▁the ▁British ▁army ▁left , ▁around ▁ 1 5 0 ▁other ▁prisoners ▁fled ▁the ▁prison . ▁On ▁ 2 5 ▁December ▁ 2 0 0 6 , ▁the ▁S AS ▁again ▁ra ided ▁the ▁Al ▁J ame at ▁station , ▁killing ▁seven ▁gun men ▁and ▁free ing ▁ 1 2 7 ▁prisoners ▁being ▁held ▁by ▁Sh ia ▁milit ias ▁there . ▁They ▁then ▁ble w ▁up ▁the ▁building . ▁A ▁British ▁Army ▁sp ok esp erson ▁stated ▁that ▁the ▁ 1 2 7 ▁prisoners ▁fre ed ▁had ▁been ▁tort ured ▁and ▁that ▁there ▁were ▁fear s ▁that ▁they ▁were ▁about ▁to ▁be ▁executed . ▁ ▁On ▁ 1 7 ▁July ▁ 2 0 0 6 , ▁H ath or ▁det achment ▁spe ar head ed ▁the ▁mission ▁that ▁resulted ▁in ▁British ▁troops ▁from ▁the ▁Brigade ▁Re con na issance ▁Company ▁of ▁ 2 0 th ▁Arm oured ▁Brigade ▁capt uring ▁S aj j ad ▁B adr ▁Ad al ▁Say eed , ▁the ▁leader ▁of ▁the ▁Mah di ▁Army , ▁in ▁a ▁ra