Head of the Sadrist bloc in Iraq Nassar Al Rubaie has filed a lawsuit against former prime minister and leader of State of Law Coalition Nouri Al Maliki.
In a letter presented to the third panel of Al-Karkh Criminal Court, Rubaie requested authorities to issue an arrest warrant against Maliki and a travel ban.
According to leaked audio cited by Rubaie, Maliki had threatened to kill Muqtada al Sadr, a Shiite cleric who leads one of Iraq’s most powerful political parties.
Moreover, the former premier was accused of threatening to attack Najaf and Kufa.
Rubaie also complained about “abusive and offensive” phrases Maliki directed against followers of the Sadrist Movement.
The suit against Maliki comes a day after the Iraqi judiciary announced that it is still investigating the leaked voice recordings attributed to the former prime minister.
“There are many specialized bodies participating in this investigation, and there is no pressure on the judicial authorities to close this file,” a judicial source who requested anonymity told Asharq Al-Awsat.
The source pointed out that there is a “legal framework that investigation authorities have to go through before announcing findings soon.”
Ali Fadhil, a US-based blogger, is responsible for the leaks. The audio allegedly belongs to an informal meeting between Maliki and unknown persons. It lasts for 48 minutes.
In the recording, Maliki specifically attacks the Sadrists and their leader, describing them as “cowards.”
Maliki's recordings also included an attack on Sunni Arabs and Kurds.
In the recordings, Maliki also revealed personal intentions to arm around 20,000 fighters on the ground.
These fighters would receive financial and logistical support and legal cover in exchange for protecting Maliki from the leader of the Sadrist movement.
Maliki, in the audio, accuses al-Sadr of wanting to “slaughter” everyone.
