Iraqi envoy in Jordan says astonished by arrest warrant

BAGHDAD / IraqiNews.com: The Iraqi ambassador in Jordan Saad al-Hayani on Sunday expressed his astonishment at the arrest warrant that has been issued against him for his alleged involvement in crimes against humanity. “I have not held an Iraqi government position since 1980 when I was dismissed from the Foreign Ministry. I returned to the ministry after 2003…,” Hayani told Iraqi News by phone from Jordan. The envoy said that the arrest warrant was issued for “malicious” purposes. “I have never been an under-secretary of state. It should have been based on reliable evidence…,” Hayani added. Earlier today, Judge Ali al-Rabaie from the Supreme Criminal Court said that it had issued two arrest warrants for Hayani and the head of the Iraqi Board of Supreme Audit, Abdulbasset Turky, in accordance with Article 12 of the Supreme Criminal Court Law no. 10 of the year 2005. The judge explained that the court has evidence of their involvement in crimes against humanity during the rule of the previous regime. Turky was an expert at the presidential office, while Hayani was an under-secretary of state during the rule of Saddam’s regime, the judge said. SS (P) 1