[JURIST] Former Iraqi Deputy Health Minister Hakim al-Zamili and Brigadier General Hameed al-Shimmari will go to trial within days for allegedly channeling millions in government money to the Mehdi Army militia [BBC backgrounder], Iraqi chief prosecutor Ghadanfar Mahmoud told AP Monday. The two high-level officials also allegedly allowed Shiite death squads to use Health Ministry facilities and ambulances to target Sunnis.

On Saturday, an Iraqi government spokesperson said that the upcoming trial indicated that Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki [BBC profile] was serious about enforcing the rule of law [JURIST report]. Zamili was arrested [DOD statement] in February during a security crackdown in Baghdad. The Mahdi Army is loyal to radical Shia cleric Moqtada al-Sadr [BBC profile]. AP has more.