“Courts look into the crime itself, not the sectarian background” of the suspect, he said. Government spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh denied any bias in charging al-Hashemi or that he was singled out, saying the case was strictly a legal matter. Several of those militias were linked to Shiite political parties that are now crucial backers of al-Maliki’s government. More broadly, regardless of the merits of the case against al-Hashemi - the highest-ranking Sunni in Iraq’s leadership - the Shiite-dominated government has shown no sign of trying to prosecute those behind Shiite militias behind slayings of Sunnis. And the prosecution’s case relies heavily on the testimony of co-defendants, that the defense claimed was coerced, pointing to one who died in custody. Al-Hashemi’s nine-member legal team walked out in protest in the second court session late last month, citing judicial bias. The defendant, Vice President Tariq al-Hashemi, says charges that he ran Sunni death squads are part of a political vendetta by Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, a Shiite. Iraq’s first major trial dealing with the country’s savage Sunni-Shiite sectarian killings is tainted by politics, critics say - an ominous sign for those hoping for justice for tens of thousands of victims of street executions, bombings and kidnappings.
