Iraq's fugitive Vice-President Tariq al-Hashemi in Saudi Arabia

After a four day visit, Iraq's fugitive Vice-President Tariq al-Hashemi has left Qatar. The official's, allegedly unauthorised, trip to the fellow Arab country has sparked conflict with the rest of Iraqi government.

Al-Hashemi is the most senior Sunni minister in the government. He absconded to the sovereign Kurdish region of Iraq after being accused of partaking in terrorism last year. He then later fled to Qatar.

Earlier this week, Iraq demanded that Qatar hand-over al-Hashemi but it refused, saying such a step would go against diplomatic conventions. Speaking about the issue, Iraq's Deputy Prime Minister Hussein al-Shahristani said Qatar harbouring a wanted person was an "unacceptable act" and that it should "return him to Iraq".

According to Reuters, al-Hashemi is now in Saudi Arabia, where he is to undergo a pilgrimage. The official told al-Sharq al-Awsat newspaper, during his time in Qatar, that he planned to visit Saudi Arabia on his trip of "friendly states".

Like Qatar, Saudi Arabia has a Sunni government; both countries have expressed concern about Iraq's largely Shi'a government. On Monday 2 April, Baghdad asked for Hashemi to be extradited, but Qatar refused, saying there was no court judgement to validate such a step.

Iraq's Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki's decision to issue an arrest warrant for Hashemi in December 2011 brought the country's national unity government close to ruin, and ignited fears that sectarian unrest would mount.

Iraq's government was due to hold reconciliation talks with Sunni and Kurdish counterparts on Thursday 5 April, but the meeting fell through as al-Maliki's opponents refused to attend the meeting. It is yet to be confirmed whether or not it will take place.

Sources: BBC News, Reuters, AFP

For more news and expert analysis about Iraq, please see Iraq Focus.

Iraq issues an arrest warrant for Vice President al-Hashemi

An Iraqi interior ministry official has said that the government has issued an arrest warrant – under anti-terrorism laws – for Vice President Tariq al-Hashemi. This has caused many to fear the collapse of the newly formed government and an increase in sectarian conflicts.

The news follows the arrest of al-Hashemi's bodyguards, who reportedly accused him of having ties with terrorist groups. The main Sunni political alliance has said it is going to boycott the cabinet.

The Al-Iraqiya party, which represents most of Iraq's Sunni Arab community, had already withdrawn from parliament, on the grounds that the Shi'a Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki is monopolising power. Al-Hashemi has been a forthright critic of al-Maliki.

Iraq President Jalal Talabani's office issued a statement saying he was "surprised" by the issue of the warrant. The statement went on to say: "Making hasty decisions and announcing them in the media will complicate the political solutions needed in this delicate stage in Iraq's history.” These latest developments come as US troops prepare to withdraw from Iraq by the end of the year.

On Monday 19th December, Iraq's television broadcast a confession by the suspected terrorist linked to Hashemi, who said they had been paid by the vice president's office to carry out attacks on security officials and politicians.

One of the suspected terrorists said he had been given £2,000 by Hashemi himself. The names of the men have not been disclosed. Speaking about the situation a senior interior ministry official Maj Gen Kamal Hussein said: "According to article four of the anti-terrorism law, an arrest warrant has been issued against Vice President Tariq al-Hashemi and it is signed by five judges."

Al-Hashemi is banned from leaving the country, but has reportedly travelled to the semi-autonomous northern Kurdistan on Sunday 18th December. The warrant was drawn-up a day before, but the process was delayed as attempts were made to resolved the situation and persuade the Sunni bloc to abandoned its planned boycott.

Sources: BBC News, Reuters, AFP

For more news and expert analysis about Iraq, please see Iraq Focus.