Iraq's ex-VP Hashimi sentenced to death

An Iraqi court sentenced fugitive Sunni Vice President Tariq al-Hashimi to death for his involvement in the killing of two people, an official said Sunday. Hashimi was sentenced to hang in absentia "because he was involved directly in killing a female lawyer and a general with the Iraqi army," said Abdul Sattar al-Berqdar, a spokesman for Iraq's Supreme Judicial Council. "There are many other charges against al-Hashimi, but this is one of the charges he was convicted of," Berqdar said Iraq's Central Criminal Court issued the same sentence for Hashimi's son-in-law, Ahmed Qahtan, who is also not in custody, CNN reported. An arrest warrant was issued against Hashimi in December 2011 on charges of running death squads. Interpol has issued a Red Notice against him for alleged terrorist acts. The Red Notice is an international alert to Interpol member states for help locating and arresting the vice president on terrorism charges brought by Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki. Hashimi has denied the charges against him and said they are politically motivated.