Interpol issues Red Notice for Iraq Vice-President

[Apocalypse]

Tariq Al-Hashemi, on suspicion of guiding and financing terrorist attacks in the country.

LYON, France – At the request of Iraqi authorities, INTERPOL has published a Red Notice for Iraq’s Vice-President, Tariq Al-Hashemi, on suspicion of guiding and financing terrorist attacks in the country.

The Red Notice for Al-Hashemi represents a regional and international alert to all of INTERPOL’s 190 member countries to seek their help in locating and arresting him, following the issue of a national arrest warrant by Iraq’s Judicial Investigative Authority as part of an investigation in which security forces seized bombing materials and arrested individuals.

“This case also clearly demonstrates the commitment of Iraqi authorities to work with the world police community via INTERPOL to apprehend individuals facing serious charges,” added the Head of INTERPOL.

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[Odysseus]

The Iraqi Constitution divides the office of the Vice President so that each of the major ethnic blocs (Shia, Sunni and Kurd) is represented in either the presidency or one of the two veep slots. Al-Hashimi is the Sunni veep, and his flight is generally believed to mean that the Shia are consolidating power. The Kurds permitted him to escape through their territory and he is now outside of Iraq, and using the opportunity to denounce the charges against him and the Shia factions in the government. Whether or not the charges are true, this indicates that the sectarian rifts are widening and will continue to do so without an honest broker on the ground (i.e., us).

[txradioguy]

He was last reported as being in Turkey. And the Turks have stated last week they aren't going to extradite him.

[Odysseus]

He was last reported as being in Turkey. And the Turks have stated last week they aren't going to extradite him.

Of course they won't. He's a Sunni, as are the Turks. This is Sunni/Shia schism stuff, playing out with the trappings of a constitutional government, but it's the same old game. The really interesting thing will be how the Shia in Iraq take this. They have the option of fomenting Kurdish rebellion against the Turks, and Iran will support that with arms and trainers, if they ask. OTOH, if we had kept a stabilizing force there, we could have avoided this.