Friday, November 17, 2006
Interior minister issues arrest warrant for AMS leader
Politics, Security
Interior Minister Jawad al-Bolani, a Shiite, announced on state television that Harith al-Dhari was wanted for inciting terrorism and violence among the Iraqi people. Al-Dhari, head of the influential Sunni Association of Muslim Scholars, is an extreme hard-liner who recently mocked a government offer of reconciliation in return for abandoning the insurgency. But the move against him threatens to drive many moderate Sunnis out of the political system.
Mohammed Bashar al-Faidi, spokesman for the Sunni association, condemned the warrant for al-Dhari's arrest. "This government should resign before the Iraqi people force it to resign," al-Faidi told Al-Jazeera television from Jordan. "The association calls on its people to be calm." Al-Faidi accused the interior minister "of supporting terrorism by covering for (Shiite) militias that are killing the Iraqi people."
Earlier this year, the Sunni association blamed the Interior Ministry for the killing of a nephew and cousin of al-Dhari. Their bodies were found in a bullet-riddled vehicle in Baghdad. Al-Dhari regularly travels between Iraq and the Persian Gulf states, as well as Syria, Jordan and Egypt. He was believed to be in Jordan when the arrest warrant was issued Thursday night.
Earlier this year, the Sunni association blamed the Interior Ministry for the killing of a nephew and cousin of al-Dhari. Their bodies were found in a bullet-riddled vehicle in Baghdad. Al-Dhari regularly travels between Iraq and the Persian Gulf states, as well as Syria, Jordan and Egypt. He was believed to be in Jordan when the arrest warrant was issued Thursday night.
UPDATE: Al-Dhari has emerged on Al-Jazeera television to accuse the Iraqi government of "provoking a crisis" with him to cover up its failure. He described the arrest warrant against him issued by the Shiite-led government as illegal. He said he would return to Iraq "at the appropriate time."
COMMENT: This latest development will increase the tension between the political parties, the Sunnis will continue to threaten to walk out on the political process. They have made this threat on several occasions, but if al-Dhari is arrested that could prove to be the straw that breaks the camel's back, or in this case the arrest that breaks any remaining political compromise. If the Sunnis actually see it through the situation will deteriorate further. COMMENT ENDS.
