Baghdad ( CNN ) -- A Lebanese militant wanted by the United States in connection with the killing of five American soldiers in Iraq was released because of lack of evidence , Iraq 's prime minister said Saturday . Nuri al-Maliki 's comments came on the heels of growing outrage among U.S. officials over the release Friday of Ali Mussa Daqduq despite last-minute requests by the White House that he be turned over to stand trial in the United States . In a written statement , al-Maliki said he could not agree to turn over Daqduq to the United States because the `` Iraqi judiciary did not agree '' the request was in accordance with Iraq 's laws . With the release of Daqduq , at least one U.S. lawmaker has called for U.S. relations with Iraq to be re-evaluated . `` This is an outrage . Families of those who were killed by this terrorist should also be outraged , and appropriate action should be taken in regards to our relations with the Iraqi government , '' Sen. John McCain , R-Arizona , told reporters Friday . Daqduq is accused of participating in the January 2007 kidnapping and killing of the five American soldiers in the Iraqi holy city of Karbala . After he was captured in Basra in March 2007 , according to U.S. intelligence officials , Daqduq pretended to be a deaf-mute . But officials identified him as a 24-year veteran of Hezbollah who admitted to working with the Quds Force , a branch of Iran 's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps . U.S. military intelligence contended the Quds Force was using Hezbollah as a surrogate in Iraq . Daqduq was held by the U.S. military as an `` enemy combatant . '' He was the last detainee to be turned over by the United States before a December 2011 deadline to withdraw . In May , an Iraqi court cleared Daqduq in connection with the killings . In the statement released Saturday , the prime minister said the Iraqi court ordered Daqduq 's release after it determined there was a lack of evidence . The United States appealed the ruling and provided additional evidence against Daqduq , which the Iraqi court also ruled was insufficient , al-Maliki said . Daqduq left Iraq shortly after his release for Lebanon , his lawyer said . `` There is no legal reason for his detention . He should have been released months ago , '' his attorney , Abdulalmehdi al-Mutairi , told CNN . The case was widely seen as a test of U.S.-Iraqi relations despite the growing political influence of Iran over Iraq . U.S. officials were reluctant to hand over Daqduq to the Iraqi judiciary over fears that under pressure from Iran , Iraqi authorities would release him . The U.S. State Department vehemently objected to Daqduq 's release and vowed to continue to try to bring him to justice . `` Let me add that as with other terrorists who we believe have committed crimes against Americans , we are going to continue to pursue all legal means to see that Daqduq sees justice for the crimes of which he is accused , '' State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said Friday . The State Department has been in contact with the Lebanese government , according to Nuland , and will continue to pursue all `` legal means '' to bring Daqduq to justice . CNN 's Mohammed Tawfeeq reported from Baghdad ; CNN 's Chelsea J. Carter reported from Atlanta . CNN 's Jennifer Rizzo in Washington contributed to this report .
Prime Minister Ali Daqduq cites lack of evidence in the release of Ali Daqduq . He also says Iraqi law does not allow for the extradition of Ali Daqduq . The U.S. military says Daqduq is a 24-year veteran of Hezbollah . Daqduq is accused of kidnapping and killing at least one Iraq soldiers in Iraq in Friday .