Iraq: The brutal murder of tribal leader Sheikh Qassem Sweidan al-Janabi, his son and nine bodyguards by Shiia militias affiliated to Iranian Regime
The European Iraqi Freedom Association (EIFA) strongly condemns the brutal murder of prominent Sunni tribal leader, Sheikh Qasim Sweidan al-Janabi, whose body, along with those of his son and nine bodyguards, was found dumped near a bridge in Baghdad. They were killed by gunmen after their convoy was ambushed in Baghdad.
Janabi, a moderate Sunni, was found shot in the head with his hands tied behind his back. His son was killed by a bullet to the chest while most of his seven bodyguards were shot in the head.
Sheikh Janabi was a prominent figure in the religiously mixed areas south of Baghdad, often described as a key player in efforts to combat sectarianism. His son Dr Mohammed Aljanabi, was recently awarded his Phd in law from the University of Glasgow.
Lawmaker Zeid al-Janabi, a nephew of the tribal leader, was with the group when they were ambushed but was later released after severe torture and humiliation.
These murders came a few days after the statements of Hadi Al-Ameri, commander of the terrorist Badr organization, a well know agent of Iran and close friend of Iranian General Qassem Suleimani, the Commander of the terrorist Quds Force. Al-Ameri had threatened the Arab Sunnis with more bloodshed in the coming days.
We call on the UN Security Council to stop the sectarian atrocities against the Iraqi Sunnis. These crimes by Iranian backed Shiia militias seriously undermine the fight against ISIS. Unless the Iranian regime’s agents are uprooted and evicted from Iraq the war against ISIS cannot be won.
Struan Stevenson
President of the European Iraqi Freedom Association (EIFA)
Struan Stevenson was a Member of the European Parliament from 1999 to 2014 and was President of the European Parliament’s Delegation for Relations with Iraq from 2009 to 2014.
