Former member in the Iraqi governing council wanted in a killing case

Well-informed politicians and lawyers said yesterday that one of Iraq's judges appointed by the US issued a decision provided for detaining Abdul Karim al-Muhammadawi, the former member in the Interim Governing Council, in a case of killing.

Al-Muhammadawi is known in the name of " prince of al-Ahwar" because of his Shiite leadership against Saddam Hussein in al-Ahwar area to the south of Iraq even after the toppled Iraqi President dried the area in a campaign to exterminate the Shiite rebellions in Iraq in the 1980s.

The warrant of arrest said that al-Muhammadawi is wanted in the case of killing a police officer in al-Amara since several weeks and that his two brothers are also wanted in the same case.

Al-Muhammadawi supporters condemned the warrant of arrest against him and doubted the objectivity of lawyers appointed by the Americans. A statement issued by the federation of the Iraqi tribes and published in the Iraqi daily " al-Sabah" said that " the occupation is the one who formed these courts to undermine the dignity of the Iraqis." It added " we stand in support of Sheikh al-Muhammadawi and deplore the illegal courts of the occupation."

Al-Muhammadawi is viewed as an alley for Ahmad Chalabi who used to be the favorite man for the Americans in Iraq but his relations with Washington deteriorated recently.