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Iraq's fugitive VP arrives in Saudi Arabia
Published: April 4, 2012 at 2:42 PM
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia, April 4 (UPI) -- Tarik al-Hashimi, the fugitive vice president of Iraq, arrived in Saudi Arabia Wednesday, officials said.
Usama al-Nugali, a spokesman for the Saudi Foreign Ministry, told CNN Hashimi had met with Saud al-Faisal, the Saudi foreign minister.
Al-Nugali did not provide details of the meeting.
Hashimi has been living in the semi-autonomous Kurdish region of Iraq since December after he was accused of using his bodyguards as a personal death squad. Iraqi authorities have issued an arrest warrant for him on terrorism charges, which Hashimi denies, calling the charges politically motivated.
On Wednesday, Hashimi, Iraq's top Sunni political figure, left Qatar, where he had arrived Sunday. He had met with Qatar's emir and prime minister, CNN said.
Qatar Tuesday rejected Iraq's demand to hand over Hashimi, Gulf News reported.
"Diplomatic norms and the post of al-Hashimi prevent Qatar from doing such a thing," said Khalid Al Attiyah, Qatar's state minister for foreign affairs.
Hashimi's security detail was accused in February by Iraq's top judicial committee of carrying out 150 attacks against security forces and civilians between 2005 and 2010. Hashimi said the Shiite-dominated central government in Iraq controlled the committee.
Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri Kamal al-Maliki, a Shiite, has demanded Kurdish lawmakers hand over Hashimi.
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Published: April 4, 2012 at 2:42 PM
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia, April 4 (UPI) -- Tarik al-Hashimi, the fugitive vice president of Iraq, arrived in Saudi Arabia Wednesday, officials said.
Usama al-Nugali, a spokesman for the Saudi Foreign Ministry, told CNN Hashimi had met with Saud al-Faisal, the Saudi foreign minister.
Al-Nugali did not provide details of the meeting.
Hashimi has been living in the semi-autonomous Kurdish region of Iraq since December after he was accused of using his bodyguards as a personal death squad. Iraqi authorities have issued an arrest warrant for him on terrorism charges, which Hashimi denies, calling the charges politically motivated.
On Wednesday, Hashimi, Iraq's top Sunni political figure, left Qatar, where he had arrived Sunday. He had met with Qatar's emir and prime minister, CNN said.
Qatar Tuesday rejected Iraq's demand to hand over Hashimi, Gulf News reported.
"Diplomatic norms and the post of al-Hashimi prevent Qatar from doing such a thing," said Khalid Al Attiyah, Qatar's state minister for foreign affairs.
Hashimi's security detail was accused in February by Iraq's top judicial committee of carrying out 150 attacks against security forces and civilians between 2005 and 2010. Hashimi said the Shiite-dominated central government in Iraq controlled the committee.
Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri Kamal al-Maliki, a Shiite, has demanded Kurdish lawmakers hand over Hashimi.
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