Iraq's largest Sunni Arab bloc announced its withdrawal from the parliament on Saturday, protesting the crackdown of their leader Adnan al-Dulaimi and the detention of dozens of his aides.
"We have decided to withdraw from the Council of representatives (parliament) until Adnan al-Dulaimi returns by today or tomorrow," said Ahamd Sulaiman, member of the Iraq Accordance Front, which has 44 out of the 275 seats in the parliament.
Sulaiman demanded the end for Dulaimi's "house arrest, the release of all detainees and the return of all properties confiscated from his office by the Iraqi troops."
"The Iraqi government is attempting to defame Dulaimi's reputation," he said, adding "we call on all the parliamentary blocs to support our stand, and to respect the immunity of the parliament members."
Earlier on Saturday, the Iraqi government denied that the leader of the county's largest Sunni Arab political bloc is under house arrest, a day after the U.S. and Iraqi troops detained 53 of his guards and staff, including his son, on suspicion of linkage to a booby-trapped car found near his office compound in the Adel neighborhood in western Baghdad.
"After the U.S. and Iraqi troops detained the guards of Adnan al-Dulaimi, the prime minister ordered the army to provide security for him," Maj. Gen. Muhammad al-Askari, spokesman of the Defense Ministry told Xinhua, clarifying the "house arrest" claim.
"The Iraqi Army's 5th Brigade is providing the security for Mr.Dulaimi," Askari said, adding that the measure is temporary and does not amount to house arrest.
U.S. and Iraqi government have said they asked Dulaimi, head of the National Accordance Front, to stay at home for his own safety.
In a statement posted on its website, the Sunni Arab front said that Dulaimi has been put under a situation "similar to house arrest."
It also condemned the detention of Dulaimi's son and the others, saying "such indecent acts will only complicate the political crisis."
The statement accused the security forces of "fabricating this crisis to disturb the improvement of security gained by the local Awakening councils, which fight the terrorism of al-Qaida and militias."
On Thursday, General Qassim al-Mussawi, spokesman of the Baghdad's security plan, announced that his troops discovered two booby-trapped cars in Dulaimi's office.
Al-Mussawi further clarified that troops have detonated the two car bombs in al-Dulaimi office, causing heavy damages to the office and several nearby houses.
Source: Xinhua
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