Turkey will not extradite Iraq's Vice President Tareq al-Hashemi,who is being tried in absentia in Baghdad accused of running adeath squad, a senior official was quoted as saying on Wednesday. "We will not extradite someone whom we have supported since thevery beginning," deputy prime minister Bekir Bozdag was quoted assaying by the Anatolia news agency. His comments came a day after Interpol issued an international RedNotice for the arrest of Hashemi, one of Iraq's top Sunni Arabofficials, on suspicion of "guiding and financing terroristattacks". "(Hashemi) is currently in Turkey for health reasons," Bozdag said. Hashemi, who has been staying in Istanbul since April 9, insistedin a statement posted on his website Tuesday that he was not abovethe law and was ready to appear in court if his security and a fairtrial could be guaranteed. Last week, Hashemi's trial was delayed to May 10 after his lawyerscalled for the case to be heard in a special court. Hashemi and his bodyguards face around 150 charges, including thekilling of six judges and other senior officials, according to anIraqi judicial spokesman. He has challenged the legitimacy of thetrial and said his life is at risk in Baghdad. Interpol said the red notice, its highest possible alert, wasissued following an Iraqi warrant made "as part of an investigationin which security forces seized bombing materials and arrestedindividuals". "It is of course important that Hashemi is named among those wantedby Interpol but we also have demands of the Iraqi government," saidBozdag. "The terrorist organisation and its supporters are there... We alsowant them but so far we have been unable to get a positive responsefrom the Iraqi government," he said, referring to leaders of theoutlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) holed up in northern Iraq. Ankara has long demanded that Iraq prevent the PKK from using itsterritory, halt all rebel activities, limit their movements, closedown their camps, cut off logistic support and hand over theirleaders to Turkey. Listed as a terrorist organisation by Turkey and much of theinternational community, the PKK took up arms for Kurdishindependence in southeastern Turkey in 1984, sparking a conflictthat has claimed some 45,000 lives. The e-commerce company in China offers quality products such as Interactive Touch Table Manufacturer , China Multi Touch Screen Monitor, and more. For more , please visit Multi Touch Screen Monitor today!
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