Iraq Sunni lawmaker opposes move to lift immunity

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Iraq Sunni lawmaker opposes move to lift immunity
08 Mar 2007 16:42:47 GMT
Source: Reuters

Background
• Iraq in turmoil


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By Waleed Ibrahim

BAGHDAD, March 8 (Reuters) - Iraq's supreme judicial council has asked parliament to lift the immunity of an outspoken Sunni lawmaker on suspicion of links to insurgents, the parliamentarian and his political bloc said on Thursday.

Abid-Naser al-Janabi accused Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki -- with whom he argued earlier this year -- of being behind the move, but Maliki is currently trying to promote dialogue between majority Shi'ites and Sunni Arabs to reduce sectarian violence.

Janabi, a member of the Accordance Front, the main Sunni political bloc in the government, said the prime minister was trying to silence his critics by "inventing these lies and fabricating information to accuse me".

The judicial council's action against Janabi could hamper Maliki's efforts to promote reconciliation and dialogue between his majority Shi'ites and Sunni Arabs, who were dominant under Saddam Hussein but now feel marginalised.

more:http://mobile.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/KAR856611.htm