Iraq assembly wants US soldier prosecuted for mistreating lawmaker at checkpoint News
Iraq assembly wants US soldier prosecuted for mistreating lawmaker at checkpoint

[JURIST] The Iraqi Interim National Assembly [Wikipedia backgrounder] Wednesday demanded prosecution of a US soldier and an apology from the American Embassy [official website] after representative Fattah al-Sheik tearfully described being handcuffed and humiliated at a US checkpoint. Al-Sheik, a Shi'ite, is linked to radical cleric Moqtada al-Sadr [Wikipedia profile], who led several uprisings against the US military in 2004. The Iraqi National Assembly, meeting for only the third day of its session to develop an Iraqi constitution, adjourned for an hour in protest. A US military spokesman said that al-Sheik and a coalition translator had gotten into an 'altercation' at the checkpoint and US soldiers had stepped in and seperated the two men. He said that full investigation into the incident would be conducted and that the US military had nothing but the highest respect for the Transitional National Assembly and its elected members. JURIST's Paper Chase has continuing coverage of Iraq [JURIST news archive]. AP has more.

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