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Iraqi fugitive Sunni VP Tareq al-Hashemi
guarded by Turkish police
18.4.2012 |
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Iraqi Vice President Tariq al-Hashemi (L) and
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Photo: AA
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April 18, 2012
ISTANBUL,— The Turkish government has
tasked a police unit with protecting fugitive Iraqi
vice-president Tareq al-Hashemi and his family
visiting the country, Iranian Press TV reports.
Hashemi, who is accused of running a death squad in
Iraq, arrived in Turkey on April 10 after visiting
Qatar and Saudi Arabia, his third stop in what he
has called an “official visit’’ to regional
countries.
He has met with Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip
Erdogan and discussed the developments in Iraq.
Hashemi has also asked for Ankara’s political
support.
According to reports coming from inside Turkey, a
team of 17 Turkish policemen and five cars are
guarding Hashemi after he held talks with Turkish
Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu. Hashemi says he
asked for Ankara's protection since he has received
death threats.
The Turkish government has also settled Hashemi, his
family, and those accompanying him in two houses in
Istanbul due to security concerns instead of taking
them to a hotel.
Meanwhile, Jordan has not responded to Hashemi’s
request for asylum.
According to a statement from Hashemi's office, he
will return to Iraq's Kurdistan region, where he had
been holed up since terrorism charges were brought
against him last December.
The Iraqi government has repeatedly called on other
countries not to receive Hashemi, especially under
the title of vice president."
Baghdad has persistently demanded that the Kurdistan
regional government hand over Hashemi to face
justice for at least 150 charges of committing acts
of terror in the country, but the region has so far
refused to oblige.
Hashemi has been accused of involvement in bomb
attacks against Iraqi government and security
officials over the past years and on December 19,
2011,www.ekurd.net
an investigative committee within the Iraqi Interior
Ministry issued an arrest warrant for Hashemi after
three of his bodyguards confessed to taking orders
from him to carry out the terrorist attacks. Hashemi
later fled to the Kurdistan region.
Hashemi has denied the charges against him,
demanding a trial in Kurdistan region, which has no
jurisdiction over the regions where Hashemi has
allegedly committed his terrorist acts. Iraq’s
judiciary has rejected his request.
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