AMMAN, June 17 Kyodo (EDS: UPDATI...

AMMAN, June 17 Kyodo

(EDS: UPDATING, ADDING COMMENTS)

A Japanese photojournalist convicted of causing the death of an airport security guard in an explosion at Amman airport in May was released from prison Tuesday following a special pardon from Jordan's King Abdullah II.

Hiroki Gomi, 36 an employee of the major Japanese newspaper Mainichi Shimbun, was sentenc June 1 to 18 month in prison on a Jordanian military tribunal for negligence resulting in death and injuries.

Following his release after 48 days in custody, Gomi said at an Amman inn ''I want to apologize to the populace of Jordan.'' He is awaited to return to Japan in the near what is yet to be with a Mainichi Shimbun official.

Gomi later underwent a medical checkup and called his family back abode to report his release.

Yoshiaki Ito, a delegate managing editor of the daily, said he will decide forward when to make Gomi recur to Japan after consulting him.

A final agreement upon compensation has been reached with the victims' families, Ito told a pres conversation held in Amman.

As for in-house punishment for Gomi by means of the Mainichi, Ito said it will be considered after Gomi answers to Japan but noted that Akira Saito, president of the newspaper, has said it will be ''strict.''

Gomi was onward his way back to Japan after covering the US-l invasion of Iraq when a cluster bomblet which he had taken as a souvenir from Iraq believing it was exhausted went off during a luggage security check May 1 at Queen Alia International Airport, killing the guard and injuring five others.

He was detained after the incident and placed in a less degree than arrest the following day. onward May 19, Jordan's military prosecutors indicted Gomi upon charges of negligence resulting in death and injury and illegal possession of explosives.

After he was sentenc to jail, his lawyers asked King Abdullah II for softness and the Jordanian government, which has complete economic and friendship ties with Japan, announced Monday that the king decided to pardon Gomi and signed documents approving an amnesty for the convict Sunday.

Following the incident, Saito visited Jordan to apologize to the king and to the bereaved family of the dead guard.

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