Turkish delegation to Baghdad to undo Hashemi sentencing

[Carrello]

Urgent ... Turkish delegation arrives in Baghdad today or tomorrow to make an offer to Iraq compared to undo the execution of al-Hashemi

09/11/2012

Ankara / WAP / arrives in Baghdad today or tomorrow, and a senior Turkish delegation, to meet Palmsaoliyn Iraqis, to discuss the court's ruling execution of Iraqi Vice President Tareq al-Hashemi.

A reporter and news agency Baghdad International / WAP / Tuesday, senior Turkish government sources, told him, that is very likely to reach the delegation to Baghdad today or tomorrow.

These sources confirmed, that al-Hashemi will meet Turkish Prime Minister today, to discuss the same issue.

He added that Turkey was ready to make an offer to Iraq compared to undo the execution of al-Hashemi.

My link

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[Butifldrm]

Hashemi, looks like he may get handed over to Iraq from Turkey if they reach some kind of agreement. Probably a new trial. He's still Toast IMO

[SgtFuryUSCZ]

***///

Let he whom is without sin.....

Shucks, why if they eliminated everybody w/ blood on their hands that'd leave kids n' camels running the joint!

[Carrello]

Hashemi, looks like he may get handed over to Iraq from Turkey if they reach some kind of agreement. Probably a new trial. He's still Toast IMO

Butifldrm, Shelley and I were having the discussion this morning over how each of us saw the information in an article completely differently. I see this article at a 180 perspective from your view, neither being wrong or right, just perspectives.

Turkey is a US ally, and I don't think it is a coincidence that Hashemi has received refuge there. Maliki has now by virtue of the "hanging" sentence put Iraq in a state of possible peril. Turkey may be coming to Baghdad, probably sent there by the US and with our backing them and knowing that Maliki is in his own state of peril, to tell Maliki to give up the hanging sentence. Not to mention that civili war in the area will not do anything good for any surrounding country except Iran.

The long and the short of it is the US is telling Maliki to backoff, your butt is already in a wringer, don't make it worse on yourself. Maliki has a dictator's mind and he will keep pushing until he is hanging.

Just my two fils Butifldrm. You may have information on the Turkish relationship that I don't and I would be glad to hear it.

Toast? You bet. Pass the jam.

[Butifldrm]

Just my two fils Butifldrm. You may have information on the Turkish relationship that I don't and I would be glad to hear it.

Toast? You bet. Pass the jam.

I agree somewhat, Carrello, BUT Things sometimes are not what they Appear to be. I just believe the Hashemi issue will have to settled one way or another. Interpol does have an arrest warrant issue. I believe the turks are going to discuss Hashemi's position, because they know he cannot live in exile forever.

Here is a very interesting article:

Tareq al-Hashemi: victim or master manipulator?

by Ahmet Aslan

June, 2012

On December 19, 2011, Iraq’s powerful Judicial Council issued an arrest warrant for Iraqi Vice President Tareq al-Hashemi, the most senior Sunni politician in the Iraqi government.

This inevitably stirred the already volatile Iraqi political pot interwoven with a very complicated and fragile religious and ethnic structure.

The allegations against al-Hashemi are grave: Iraqi prosecutors allege that he was the mastermind behind the killings of several people during the period 2005–2011. These included a top official in the National Security Ministry, another official in the Interior Ministry, a lawyer and six judges as well as many security officials and Shi‘i pilgrims. Although he fled the country, 73 of his bodyguards have been arrested and put on trial along with al-Hashemi, being tried in absentia, in Baghdad’s Central Criminal Court.

In court hearings last month, some of his bodyguards and a senior Iraqi figure testified against him. A senior Sunni tribal Sheikh Khidhir Ibrahem al-Dulaimi, one of the suspects, confessed to the three-judge panel that he was a member of “the Brigades of 12th Revolution,” the armed group that has allegedly carried out the killings, and al-Hashemi was the main financier of the organization.

“I met him [Hashemi] six or seven times… He gave me money in my hand, 10–15 million dinars ($8,000–12,000) every time, which paid for salaries for the fighters… He asked me to carry out operations against police and army… These operations were filmed and sent to al-Hashemi.” The court also heard four more defendants, who accused al-Hashemi of masterminding the attacks. They also told the court that after the attacks, they were rewarded with $300 to $3,000 depending on their role.

From the beginning of the case, al-Hashemi has denied all charges and argued that the case is politically motivated, with a sectarian agenda, blaming Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki for wanting to eliminate him in order to dominate the country without any rival. In terms of the testimonies given against him, he alleges that they are given under torture and three of his bodyguards already died under torture while false statements were being extracted from them. He refused to stand trial in Baghdad since he believes that al-Maliki would inevitably influence the court. Instead he has offered to be tried in northern Iraq.

The case is extremely important since it might shed light on one of the darkest periods of US occupation, and possibly deliver justice to the relatives of those that had fallen victim to terrorist killings. However, it seems the political implications of the case have overshadowed its legal implications and turned it into the centre of the on-going political struggle that is underway between regional powers.

There is no doubt that al-Hashemi is a skilful politician who managed to survive in the volatile environment of Iraqi politics. There were two important tools that enabled him to cling to power during this time: he presented himself as the representative of the Sunni minority in Iraq and cultivated strong relations with regional powers such as Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Qatar by serving their interests, hence becoming an influential figure in Iraqi politics until the allegations against him emerged.

It seems his skills are still proving useful in the most difficult period of his career. Before the news hit the headlines in 2011, al-Hashemi fled to northern Iraq where the Kurds run a semi-autonomous state and stayed there for a while with the hope that the Maliki government would not escalate the situation any further leading to some kind of an agreement. However, al-Maliki did not succumb to Kurish pressure, forcing al-Hashemi to seek a better place to reside, where he could better guard himself against an outraged al-Maliki. Upon leaving northern Iraq, al-Hashemi visited Qatar and Saudi Arabia and then found a safe haven in Turkey, where the ruling Justice and Development Party gave him a warm welcome on April 9.

Considering his strong relations with Turkey, al-Hashemi knew it was an ideal place for him. He proved to be a handy tool for the Turks who worked hard to form al-Iraqiyya coalition led by Shi‘i Ilyad Alawi, to gain control over Iraqi politics. The Iraqiyya coalition that included ex-Ba‘th members, secular Sunnis and Shi‘is and nationalist Turkmens was doomed to failure as it did not represent the grassroots of Iraq. Eventually, the project failed and the government led by Nouri al-Maliki was formed but the significance of al-Hashemi did not diminish in the eyes of Turkish policy makers.

Thus, he was received by Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayip Erdogan soon after his arrival and given a luxurious apartment in Istanbul with high-level protection by Turkish security agents. Even the arrest warrant issued by Interpol on May 8, 2012 did not change Turkey’s position. Ignoring Iraq’s reaction, Erdogan told reporters during a visit to Italy that “Hashemi continues with his initiatives regarding his legal problems… we gave him all kinds support on this issue and we will continue to do so.”

Turkey’s Deputy Prime Minister Bekir Bozdag also made it clear that Turkey will disregard the arrest warrant when he commented to Anatolia News Agency: “We will not extradite someone who we have supported since the very beginning.” Turkey’s support for al-Hashemi has indeed outraged the Iraqi government and further strained relations between Baghdad and Ankara.

In Turkey, meanwhile, al-Hashemi has been opportunistically playing the sectarian card. He recently warned that existing political problems in Iraq may turn into an all-out sectarian war, echoing Turkish criticism of the Maliki government. The so-called Shi‘i-Sunni division, which is in fact being promoted by the House of Saud and Qatar as a pretext to curb Iran’s increasing influence in the region, would no doubt prove rewarding for al-Hashemi. Since he could not explain why he was singled out by the Iraqi government and its reasons for “conspiring against” him, in the present tense environment labeling the case as the outcome of a sectarian struggle that ultimately aims at Shi‘i crackdown on Sunni political groups would attract a large number of people to support him.

Nevertheless, there are several reasons to question the sectarian twist being given to the case against al-Hashemi. First, he did not hesitate to become an ardent supporter of al-Iraqiyya coalition that was led by Iyad Alawi, a Shi‘i politician. Second, Iraq’s Judicial Council, which first issued the arrest warrant against al-Hashemi, consists of 10 members: eight Sunni and two Shi‘is. Finally, according to Iraq’s political system, one of the vice presidents must be a Sunni, while the other a Kurd. Thus even if al-Hashemi were “eliminated,” another Sunni must replace him.

Unfortunately, it is the vulnerability of Muslims (not Islam) to fall into the trap of sectarianism that is eagerly orchestrated and promoted by Western powers or their regional allies. Of course, there have always been individuals who have wanted to make political gains through hatred and animosity that is artificially planted in the minds of Muslims. Time will tell if al-Hashimi is one of those opportunistic individuals or, as he puts it, “a victim of political vendetta.”

http://www.crescent-online.net/2012/06/tareq-al-hashemi-victim-or-master-manipulator-ahmet-aslan-3133-articles.html

[zigmeister]

Very interesting article. I really suspect Hashemi is guilty of the crimes he is being accused of.

[Carrello]

Thanks Butifldrm, I will check this out.

[uncirculd]

I don't think he is guilty at all. Oh wait, guilty of calling maliki out as a dictator and since Hashemi's position is very threatening to maliki, knowing that Talabani is an older man. Had he become President, he would have assumed his role and not allowed all this garbage going on. Had the judicial system cleaned up etc.

He has the right to appeal. He has appealed.

What I think the Turkey delegation is going to do is look over the files of the courts. If they are allowed. If they do they will see that no evidence in his defence was entered and the reason being the judge wouldn't allow any. I still don't know why no one has been put on trial for killing his body guards. Oh I know, cause they died of natural causes according to the death certificate singed by the judge. There tongues were cut out and they were tortured so naturally they died.