06 February 2012
ERBIL - The Iraqi Vice President Tariq al-Hashimi has accused the Iraqi authorities of fabricating charges to incite public anger, assuring that he does not have any interest in targeting the Kurds after leaks accused him of assassinating a Kurdish judge.
Hashemi said in a statement issued by his interim office that false stories are deliberately leaked to the media from time to time about supposed "crimes" committed in the past.
The Iraqi judiciary issued an arrest warrant against Hashemi and a number of his bodyguards on charges of supporting terrorism. He denied the charges, saying the confessions of his guards of involvement in assassinations were taken under torture. He fled to Kurdistan and demanded for his trail to be held in Kirkuk instead of Baghdad because he does not believe he will get a fair trial. His demands were rejected and reports now say that he wants a trial in an international court.
The statement from the interim office continued to accuse the Iraqi judiciary of inciting anger from the ethnic groups to which the assassinated persons belong.
The statement mentioned a list of names that the media leaks have accused Hashemi and his guards of targeting: Judge Najem Talabani who belonged to the clan of Iraqi President Jalal Talabani and was close to the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, the driver of Vice President of the Council of Representatives Arif Tayfur and chairman of Iraq's Clans Assembly Omar Hijel, who is close to the Islamic Party.
Further names include the governor of Anbar province Qasim al-Fahdawi, who is close to the Sahwat (Awakening) Council of Anbar, member of Iraqiya alliance Sheikh Karim Muhammadawi and members of the Sadrist movement.
"On this basis, it's not surprising to see that the leaks of assassinated persons include Turkmen, Sabeans, Yezidis, Shabaks, Chaldo-Assyrians, Armenians and others, and it wouldn't be surprising if the leaks also included local, regional or international genocide including the Zarka crime - everyone knows who planned and implemented it but it was registered as unknown," the statement continued.
The statement also denies claims that Hashemi played a part in the assassination of Kurdish judge Najem Talabani in 2010. One of Hashemi's guards confessed that he killed the judge based on an order from Hashemi himself. Again, Hashemi said confessions of his guards were taken under torture.
"Why would Hashemi target the Kurds when they have religion, history and citizenship ties in common in addition to the desire of common brotherhood... The families of the victims must put pressure on the security services and judiciary to reveal the real perpetrators," the statement said.
Abdul Aziz Abdul Wahid, one of the members of President Talabani's clan, told reporters that a meeting with 120 clan members in Srzinar, northwest of Sulaimaniya, on Friday called for Kurdistan officials to hand over Hashimi to the justice system in Baghdad.
"The position of the clan came after having proof that Hashemi's guards were involved in the assassination of the judge Najem Talabani in 2010," said Wahid.
ERBIL - The Iraqi Vice President Tariq al-Hashimi has accused the Iraqi authorities of fabricating charges to incite public anger, assuring that he does not have any interest in targeting the Kurds after leaks accused him of assassinating a Kurdish judge.
Hashemi said in a statement issued by his interim office that false stories are deliberately leaked to the media from time to time about supposed "crimes" committed in the past.
The Iraqi judiciary issued an arrest warrant against Hashemi and a number of his bodyguards on charges of supporting terrorism. He denied the charges, saying the confessions of his guards of involvement in assassinations were taken under torture. He fled to Kurdistan and demanded for his trail to be held in Kirkuk instead of Baghdad because he does not believe he will get a fair trial. His demands were rejected and reports now say that he wants a trial in an international court.
The statement from the interim office continued to accuse the Iraqi judiciary of inciting anger from the ethnic groups to which the assassinated persons belong.
The statement mentioned a list of names that the media leaks have accused Hashemi and his guards of targeting: Judge Najem Talabani who belonged to the clan of Iraqi President Jalal Talabani and was close to the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, the driver of Vice President of the Council of Representatives Arif Tayfur and chairman of Iraq's Clans Assembly Omar Hijel, who is close to the Islamic Party.
Further names include the governor of Anbar province Qasim al-Fahdawi, who is close to the Sahwat (Awakening) Council of Anbar, member of Iraqiya alliance Sheikh Karim Muhammadawi and members of the Sadrist movement.
"On this basis, it's not surprising to see that the leaks of assassinated persons include Turkmen, Sabeans, Yezidis, Shabaks, Chaldo-Assyrians, Armenians and others, and it wouldn't be surprising if the leaks also included local, regional or international genocide including the Zarka crime - everyone knows who planned and implemented it but it was registered as unknown," the statement continued.
The statement also denies claims that Hashemi played a part in the assassination of Kurdish judge Najem Talabani in 2010. One of Hashemi's guards confessed that he killed the judge based on an order from Hashemi himself. Again, Hashemi said confessions of his guards were taken under torture.
"Why would Hashemi target the Kurds when they have religion, history and citizenship ties in common in addition to the desire of common brotherhood... The families of the victims must put pressure on the security services and judiciary to reveal the real perpetrators," the statement said.
Abdul Aziz Abdul Wahid, one of the members of President Talabani's clan, told reporters that a meeting with 120 clan members in Srzinar, northwest of Sulaimaniya, on Friday called for Kurdistan officials to hand over Hashimi to the justice system in Baghdad.
"The position of the clan came after having proof that Hashemi's guards were involved in the assassination of the judge Najem Talabani in 2010," said Wahid.
© AK News 2012
