A YORK man has vowed to return to Iraq to continue the search for his missing daughter - even though he has just been released after three weeks in US military custody.

Michael Todd, also known as Michael Mime, was seeking his daughter, Sajida, but the quest went horribly wrong when American soldiers captured him in the northern city of Sulayman-iyah, believing he was a terrorist.

Yesterday Michael, of Bishophill, returned to York, after arriving at Teesside on a flight from Basra.

Describing the three weeks as "a living hell", he said: "I am relieved to be safe. But I don't want to be back here while my daughter is still there. I am planning to go back as soon as it is possible."

Michael, 33, says he was spat at by some of the American soldiers who captured him after he stumbled into a joint operation by US and Kurdish troops.

He claims he was bound with special "plasticuffs", had a plastic bag put over his head, was accused of being an al-Qaida member, and made to wear an orange boiler suit, like those worn by prisoners at the Guantanamo Bay detention centre.

He said: "I was taken into a compound and kicked to the floor, I was trodden on and punched around a bit.

"I had already tried to show them my documents so I tried again, but they weren't interested. It was a billion to one chance that I was there. Even when I was picked up I thought I would be home for tea once I'd proved I was British.

"I never thought I would be held captive for three weeks."

After a night in Kirkuk he was transferred to Baghdad Airport, where he was held until his release.

A United States Army spokeswoman said: "Our prisoners of war or detainees are treated according to the standards outlined in the Geneva Convention.

"If Mr Todd was treated in any way that strays from the standards outlined that does not reflect on the United States Army, it is the actions of an individual, and the soldier will be treated accordingly if that is found to be the case."

Updated: 10:39 Saturday, August 02, 2003