Mexico close to releasing vigilante leader

MEXICAN authorities may soon release a founder of the vigilante movement who fought against a powerful drug cartel in the western state of Michoacan.

MEXICAN authorities say they are near to freeing Jose Manuel Mireles, a founder of the self-defence movement that rose up to fight an entrenched drug cartel in the western state of Michoacan.

THE Attorney General's office says it is withdrawing an appeal to a petition filed by Mireles' lawyer to free him, essentially allowing his release.