Monday, September 15, 2008
JTA: Iraq punishes lawmaker who visited Israel
Iraq's parliament has punished a Sunni lawmaker who visited Israel.
The parliamentary immunity of Mithal al-Alousi was lifted, making him subject to prosecution. He also has been banned from traveling outside of Iraq and from attending parliamentary sessions.
Speaking Sept. 10 at a conference on terror in Herzliya, Alousi called for stronger cooperation between Iraq and Israel in fighting terror.
The Iraqi legislator visited Israel in 2004 to participate in a counterterrorism conference, after which his two grown sons were murdered by extremists in an apparent payback.