Thursday, February 15, 2007
Al-Maliki denies knowledge of arrest warrant for al-Sadr
Security, Politics
(Al Iraq news) Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki denied the existence of a judicial order out for arrest of Muqtada al-Sadr in the Baghdad security plan, that began yesterday. He referred to reports that Sadr has gone to Iran "illogical". Maliki said "There is no order for the arrest of Sayid Muqtada al-Sadr at the present time in relation with the Baghdad security plan". In a press conference in front of the Karbala Province administrative building, Maliki also referred to reports that Sadr has gone to Iran "illogical," saying the story was "unrealistic" and "couldn’t be accepted."
Some media claimed that an arrest order was out for al-Sadr in connection with the 2003 Najaf killing of Shi`a cleric Abd al-Majid al-Khoei in the weeks following the US occupation of the country. Maliki denies these assertions as well, saying, "I have not heard of anything like this order, and if there is anything related to an arrest order for Sayyed Muqtada from other authorities . . . we have not heard of it."Iraqi lawmakers and officials loyal to al-Sadr categorically denied that he had left the country but refused to say where he was.
Labels: al-Maliki, arrest, Moqtada Al-Sadr, politics, security
