Iraq’s Coordination Framework, Sadrists Trade Accusations over Maliki, Hannanah Audio Leaks
The Iraqi judiciary announced that it was still probing the damning audio leaks attributed to former Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki.
The emergence of leaks attributed to a number of leading members of Maliki’s rivals in the Sadrist movement is a new twist in the saga.
The pro-Iran Coordination Framework, of which Maliki is a member, has tried different ways to defend the leaks tied to the former premier.
The Sadrists, led by influential cleric, Moqtada al-Sadr, have tried to invest the leaks in their favor.
Sadr had made numerous demands for Maliki to be held to account for the leaks.
The judiciary is still probing the recordings and has yet to reach a conclusion.
This case is not closed, said a judicial source according to local media.
No pressure is being applied to close the case, rather the legal process is taking its course and the outcome should be announced soon, he added.
The emergence of the al-Hannanah recordings, attributed to Sadrists, appears to be a move by the Framework to undermine their rivals.
The Sadrists have yet to comment on the leaks.
The Sadrists and Framework have reached an uneasy truce in wake of last week’s bloody clashes that erupted in Baghdad when Sadr announced his resignation from political life.
The fighting prompted Sadr to call on his supporters to leave the streets, in what was seen as a defeat to the cleric and a victory for the Framework.
The Sadrists had for weeks been holding a sit-in at Baghdad’s Green Zone to demand early elections and dissolution of parliament. The clashes forced Sadr to recall his followers from the streets.
Now, the Sadrists’ only hope for a political victory lies in the Federal Supreme Court’s ruling on whether to dissolve parliament.
The decision is expected later on Wednesday.