Iraq Court Issues Arrest Warrant For Trump Over Militia Leader Killing

Authored by Dave DeCamp via AntiWar.com,

An Iraqi court issued an arrest warrant for President Trump for the killing of Iraqi militia leader Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, who was killed in a US drone strike alongside Iranian Gen. Qasem Soleimani last January.

Al-Muhandis was the leader of the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), a group of mostly Shia state-sponsored militias that was formed in 2014 to fight ISIS.

The Iraqi warrant comes after Iran issued a “red notice” to Interpol for President Trump and dozens of other US officials for the killing of Soleimani. It was the second time since June that Iran requested the international police agency arrest Trump for the assassination, but the request has not been acted on.

According to Middle East Eye:

The Baghdad court issued the warrant for Trump’s arrest under Article 406 of the Iraqi penal code, which provides for the death penalty in all cases of premeditated murder, according to the judiciary.

…“The investigation procedures are continuing to find out the other participants in the execution of this crime, whether they are Iraqis or foreigners,” the court said.

Sunday, January 3rd, marked the one-year anniversary of the US assassination of Soleimani and al-Muhandis. Leading up to the day, US military officials were warning of Iranian or “Iranian-backed” attacks on US forces in Iraq. But the day came and went with no violence, although protesters took to the streets of Baghdad, demanding the US pull out of Iraq.

After al-Muhandis and Soleimani were killed, Iraq’s parliament voted unanimously to expel US forces. Currently, the US is in the process of drawing down troops in Iraq. By January 15th, there are expected to be 2,500 US troops left in the country.