Iraq's Sunni Vice-President Tariq al-Hashemi denies charge

Iraq's Sunni Vice-President, Tariq al-Hashemi, has declined any wrongdoing, a day after a warrant was released for his detain on terrorism-related acts.
Mr Hashemi described as "fabricated" the allegation he was attached to attack on officials and security authorities. He also named Prime Minister  Nouri Maliki, a Shia, of being behind a plan to humiliate him and strike apart latest efforts at national reconciliation. The Sunni deputy prime minister has cautioned Iraq dangers a new sectarian war. The arrest warrant for Mr Hashemi was released just days after last US soldiers' group eventually left Iraq.

At a press conference in Irbil, in Iraq's semi-autonomous south Kurdistan Location, Mr Hashemi described the expenses against him as "fabricated". "I didn't do anything incorrect against any Iraqi, whether today or the next day and this my promise to God," he said. "Maliki is behind the whole concern," he included. "All the initiatives that have been applied to reach national reconciliation and to unite Iraq are now gone. So yes, I blame Maliki." Mr Hashemi said he was nevertheless "ready to deal with trial" in Kurdistan, according to the AFP information organization.

Saleh al-Mutlak, Iraq's Sunni Deputy Prime Minister, said the Sunni community was "being oppressed" by Mr Maliki's Shia-dominated government. "Saddam was a dictator and Maliki is a dictator too", he added. A spokesman for Mr Maliki told that the arrest warrant was a judicial matter and should not be politicised. Mr Maliki's aides have called for urgent talks to try to resolve the crisis.