Murder evidence 'points to Al Hashemi'

Dubai: A leading Iraqi politician whose two sons were murdered two years ago yesterday confirmed that evidence and testimonies "clearly implicate" a cabinet minister who is on the run.

"The evidence points to [the Minister of Culture] Asaad Al Hashemi. No question about that," Iraqi MP Mithal Al Alussi told Gulf News in a telephone interview.

His two sons and a bodyguard were shot dead by assassins in Al Qudat district west of Baghdad in February 2005.

Al Alussi said: "Eyewitnesses came forward and told us of the assassins. The Iraqi security forces rounded up the accused and they confessed to having received $500 each from Al Hashemi to carry out the crime."

"Two of these witnesses were shot dead right after giving their testimony."

An arrest warrant was issued against Al Hashemi, a Sunni, and his house has been raided by police.

Leading Sunni politician Adnan Al Dulaimi was quoted yesterday as saying the warrant was "another step" by the Shiite-led government "to marginalise" the country's Sunni community. He said Al Hashemi will soon leave Iraq.

"Yesterday, Al Hashemi's house was raided by Iraqi security forces, who found that he had fled without his bodyguards. His driver confessed to the crime and many other crimes as well," said Al Alussi, also a Sunni.

"Al Hashemi has taken refuge in Baghdad's Green Zone," he added.

He complained that the government was not up to the job.

"If any Cabinet minister in the world was to be accused of a lesser offence, he would be relieved from his post and brought to justice. But our government is unable to arrest a man accused of murder."