Former Iraqi MP Al-Alwani killing: Media office demands answers
Shafaq News- Baghdad/ Beirut
Former Iraqi lawmaker Ahmed Al-Alwani’s Media Office on Wednesday pressed Lebanese authorities to thoroughly investigate his killing and identify those responsible, while asking the Iraqi government to pursue the case through diplomatic channels.
In a statement, the Office confirmed that Al-Alwani arrived in Beirut on Thursday, November 5, on a flight that landed at Rafik Hariri International Airport, according to available records.
Surveillance footage, the Office said, showed several individuals leaving the apartment where Al-Alwani was staying about 14 minutes after the plane landed, raising questions about whether they had prior knowledge of his arrival.
According to the available information, Al-Alwani did not stay at a hotel on the day he arrived in Beirut. The last documented contact between him and his family was limited to confirmation of his arrival and transfer to his accommodation.
The Office appealed to local and international news agencies to verify information before publication, obtain statements directly from it, and refer to Lebanese judicial authorities for updates on the investigation. It also warned against presenting unverified accounts as established facts.
Calls for Action
The statement asked Lebanese security and judicial authorities to identify the individuals captured in the surveillance footage and investigate whether they had any connection to the apartment or the killing.
It also recommended reviewing surveillance footage from the airport, the building, and surrounding roads, and cross-checking it against flight information and entry records. Authorities were asked to establish when Al-Alwani left the airport, how he was transported, and which route he took to his accommodation.
The Office further pressed for an investigation into any communications or arrangements made before Al-Alwani's arrival, as well as the movements of individuals under suspicion. It also stressed the need to compare the last documented contact with the Office against other available evidence and determine the time of death through forensic examination.
The statement demanded that everyone involved in planning, carrying out, or facilitating the killing be identified, where responsibility is established, and that the findings of the investigation be made public without compromising judicial proceedings.
