21-04-2025
Iraqi MP seeks legal action against Syrian President Al Shara
An Iraqi politician has filed a request to the country's public prosecution for legal action against Syria's President Ahmad Al Shara over his alleged operations as a fighter for Al Qaeda in Iraq two decades ago. The request is a rebuke to Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al Sudani, who revealed at the Sulaymaniyah Forum in Iraq on Wednesday that he had invited Mr Al Shara to attend the Arab Summit in Baghdad next month. Memories are still raw among many Iraqis of a Sunni-led insurgency in which Mr Al Shara took part that plagued Iraq after the US-led invasion that toppled Saddam Hussein in 2003. Iraqi MP Saud Al Saedi told The National on Sunday that he had received details from the Interior Ministry on cases against Mr Al Shara over his role with Al Qaeda, as well as related intelligence reports. Mr Al Saedi refused to elaborate but said the 'evidence, videos and confessions on his involvement in bloodletting in Iraq are strong'. Based on the Interior Ministry information, Mr Al Shara 'committed numerous crimes in killing Iraqis when he oversaw the suicide attacks as he was in charge of the special operations for Al Qaeda in Iraq', Mr Al Saedi said. 'We kindly request that you review this matter, pursue the complaint, and take judicial action against the aforementioned party as per to the attached documentation,' he added. The request is the latest in an anti-Al Shara campaign being led by Iraqi Shiites. More than 50 politicians have already signed a request asking the Speaker of Parliament to issue a block on him entering the country for the summit next month. Mr Al Shara was based in Iraq as a fighter for Al Qaeda before he broke ties with the extremist group in 2016 and created Hayat Tahrir Al Sham, which took power in Damascus in December last year in a rebel offensive that toppled former president Bashar Al Assad. He was arrested by US troops in Iraq during the insurgency after 2003 and then released in 2011.
