A Baghdad court found former minister Asaad Al Hashemi responsible in absentia for the 2005 deaths of the two sons of politician Mithal Al Alusi.

A spokesman for Iraq's High Judicial Council said on Friday that Al Hashemi did not attend court proceedings despite being issued a subpoena in the official newspaper.

Al Hashemi, who was a member of the Accordance Front, is believed to have fled Iraq or gone into hiding.

A politician in the Accordance bloc said the move against Al Hashemi was unfair. "He should have been given the chance to defend himself," said Abdul Kareem Al Samarrai.



Agencies