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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Warrant issued for Iraqi minister | Warrant issued for Iraqi minister |
| (about 5 hours later) | |
| Judicial authorities in Baghdad have issued a warrant for the arrest of the Iraqi minister of culture on terrorism charges, officials have said. | Judicial authorities in Baghdad have issued a warrant for the arrest of the Iraqi minister of culture on terrorism charges, officials have said. |
| Police raided Asaad Kamal al-Hashemi's house overnight and arrested at least six of the Sunni politician's guards. | Police raided Asaad Kamal al-Hashemi's house overnight and arrested at least six of the Sunni politician's guards. |
| The minister has been accused of giving orders for the killing in February 2005 of the two sons of another prominent Sunni politician, Mithal al-Alusi. | The minister has been accused of giving orders for the killing in February 2005 of the two sons of another prominent Sunni politician, Mithal al-Alusi. |
| Police believe Mr Hashemi is currently out of the country, in Jordan. | Police believe Mr Hashemi is currently out of the country, in Jordan. |
| Mr Hashemi is a member of the Iraqi Islamic Party, which stood as part of the Iraqi Accord Front in the December 2005 election. | Mr Hashemi is a member of the Iraqi Islamic Party, which stood as part of the Iraqi Accord Front in the December 2005 election. |
| He was appointed culture minister in May 2006. | He was appointed culture minister in May 2006. |
| 'Confessions' | 'Confessions' |
| The warrant for Mr Hashemi's arrest was issued on Monday by Iraq's Supreme Judicial Council. | The warrant for Mr Hashemi's arrest was issued on Monday by Iraq's Supreme Judicial Council. |
| Iraqi government spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh said the warrant was a result of the "accusations and confessions" of the two men who carried out the attack on Mr Alusi. | Iraqi government spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh said the warrant was a result of the "accusations and confessions" of the two men who carried out the attack on Mr Alusi. |
| They confessed that the planning and all the orders came from the current minister Ali al-DabbaghIraqi government spokesman | They confessed that the planning and all the orders came from the current minister Ali al-DabbaghIraqi government spokesman |
| "They confessed that the planning and all the orders came from the current [culture] minister," he said. | "They confessed that the planning and all the orders came from the current [culture] minister," he said. |
| "The minister was then an imam in a mosque." | "The minister was then an imam in a mosque." |
| Mr Alusi, the leader of the Iraqi Nation Party, was ambushed as he waited for his car near his home in Baghdad. | Mr Alusi, the leader of the Iraqi Nation Party, was ambushed as he waited for his car near his home in Baghdad. |
| His two sons, Ayman and Jamal, as well as a bodyguard were shot dead in the attack. | His two sons, Ayman and Jamal, as well as a bodyguard were shot dead in the attack. |
| Mr Hashemi's party condemned the arrest warrant as part of the "marginalising policy against prominent Sunni leaders to push them away from the political process". | |
| It warned the Iraq's Shia-dominated government to avoid "playing with fire by continuing the policy of fabricating lies to exclude Sunni politicians and officials from the Iraqi arena". | It warned the Iraq's Shia-dominated government to avoid "playing with fire by continuing the policy of fabricating lies to exclude Sunni politicians and officials from the Iraqi arena". |