BERLIN — German police ended an occupation of the Iraqi Embassy in Berlin on Tuesday, detaining five people and freeing the hostages about five hours after armed men seized Iraq's acting ambassador and others among his staff.
The two hostages had slight injuries, police spokeswoman Christine Rother said. No shots were fired in the operation to end the siege.
A previously unknown dissident group calling for Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein's overthrow earlier claimed responsibility for the occupation. Police said they had threatened several people with weapons.
"We are taking over the Iraqi Embassy in Berlin and thereby take the first step toward the liberation of our beloved fatherland," the group calling itself the Democratic Iraqi Opposition of Germany said in a statement.
"Our action is peaceful and limited in time," said the statement, received by two news agencies in Germany. "Our path is the liberation of Baghdad."
Another police spokesman, Carsten Graefe, later said that the injuries came at the time the occupation started. One of those involved was injured by pepper spray, while the other was in shock.
Although Rother said two hostages were released, Graefe then said he could not confirm that figure.
Police did not give information on the nature of the weapons held by the hostage takers.
Dozens of police, some in bulletproof vests, had moved in to seal off the embassy and surrounding streets in the elegant Zehlendorf neighborhood of the capital.
The White House on Tuesday condemned the Iraqi dissidents.
Press secretary Ari Fleischer also told reporters that the United States had no prior knowledge of — and no contacts with — the dissidents who nonetheless share Bush's goal of ousting Saddam's regime in Iraq.
"Actions like this takeover are unacceptable. They undermine legitimate efforts by Iraqis both inside and outside Iraq to bring regime change to Iraq," Fleischer said in Texas, where Bush was vacationing at his ranch.
Fleischer noted that the Iraqi National Congress, another dissident group working in concert with the Bush administration to undermine Saddam, also condemned the armed men who seized Iraq's embassy in Berlin Tuesday morning and took several hostages.