Ex-Iraqi army head held in Denmark

[Gość: Zydek]

Ex-Iraqi army head held in Denmark


Iraqi chemical weapons killed thousands of Kurds

The former head of Iraq's army is being held in Denmark on charges of
suspected war crimes, Danish police have said.
Nizar al-Khazraji, who has been named as a possible future leader of Iraq,
is accused of involvement in chemical weapons attacks against Iraq's Kurdish
population in the 1980s, which left thousands dead.

The 64-year-old was head of the armed forces when Iraq invaded Kuwait in
1990.

But he fled to Jordan in 1995, before applying for political asylum in
Denmark.



He allegedly offered command of an army division to the officer who led the
so-called Operation Anfal against Kurds in northern Iraq in the late 1980s
during which thousands of people died

Prosecutor's statement
He is believed to be the highest-ranking officer to have defected from Iraq.

Officials said he was appearing in court pending a decision on whether he
should be held in custody and charged.

Danish police began their inquiry when a Kurdish refugee spotted Mr Khazraji
in the street, and reported him.

Mr Khazraji denies the claims, saying Iraqi secret police are behind them.

A statement from the Danish prosecutor for special international crimes said
Mr Khazraji had appeared in court in the town of Soroe, outside Copenhagen.

Allegations

He is "suspected of crimes against humanity and violation of the Geneva
convention on protection of civilians during war," said prosecutor Birgitte
Vestberg in the statement.

"He allegedly offered command of an army division to the officer who led the
so-called Operation Anfal against Kurds in northern Iraq in the late 1980s
during which thousands of people died."

Al-Khazraji has lived in Denmark for three years.

He has not been granted asylum, but has been given leave to remain.

His arrest comes three weeks after the Danish authorities detained a key
rebel Chechen leader, Ahmed Zakayev, who is accused by Russia of involvement
in terrorist acts.

Russia wants Mr Zakayev extradited, but Denmark has so far said Moscow has
provided insufficient evidence against him.