Iraqi Ministry of Interior pursues accused in murder of American citizen
Shafaq News / The Iraqi Ministry of Interior revealed that it is still pursuing four suspects from the group involved in the killing of an American citizen in Baghdad. These individuals had previously been arrested and sentenced.
According to a statement by the Ministry, "Following the incident of the killing of the American citizen, Stephen Troell, in the capital Baghdad last year, an intelligence team from the Ministry of Interior was formed to investigate the incident. Through intensive technical and intelligence efforts over several days, in various locations and areas, and by analyzing available information, the team managed to identify the perpetrators and their associates."
The statement continued, "Legal approvals were obtained for their arrest, and subsequent to that, the arrest warrants were executed. During the interrogation process, the suspects admitted to their crime. A search was conducted in line with their confessions, and based on the evidence, the case was referred to the competent court."
The Iraqi judiciary issued a life imprisonment sentence for the suspects on Thursday. They are an Iranian national and four other Iraqi individuals, all convicted of the murder of the American citizen.
The Ministry affirmed that the intelligence team, along with accompanying efforts, is currently searching for four additional suspects connected to the same group apprehended in relation to this crime. The goal is to apprehend these individuals so that they may face just punishment and legal procedures.
A source revealed on Thursday the secrets of the trial of the killers of an American citizen in Baghdad.
Shafaq News Agency investigated the sidelines of the trial and the pressures that accompanied it, leading to the final verdict that was issued on Thursday, after three pleadings in al-Karkh Criminal Court.
Several sources informed Shafaq News Agency that the verdict of life imprisonment was issued against the killers of American citizen Steven Carroll, who are five defendants, four of whom are Iraqi nationals and one of whom is an Iranian national with the rank of captain in the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps and works as an advisor in one of the Iraqi security agencies and resides in one of the headquarters in al-Jadriya area.
The sources indicated that the other four defendants are Iraqi citizens belonging to multiple factions, and the defendants admitted to carrying out the killing operation after being investigated, and their case was referred to al-Karkh Criminal Court.
Regarding the circumstances of the crime, the sources pointed out that the operation was to kidnap the American citizen, not to kill him, but the defendants executed it incorrectly and killed him. They were arrested after being followed up by the Intelligence Agency in the Ministry of Interior to reach the criminals through multiple proven evidence, and they were arrested at a house in al-Rusafa area.
Another source said that the judicial investigation began with them (the defendants), up to the referral of their files to the Karkh Criminal Court, despite all the pressures exerted by the parties to which they belong. In contrast, Tehran abandoned the Iranian defendant after their failure in the kidnapping operation at the beginning, but in the end, Tehran and Iraqi parties exerted great pressure to withdraw the defendant to Tehran and hold him accountable there.
The Iraqi judiciary, earlier on Thursday, issued a life sentence against an Iranian Revolutionary Guard officer and Iraqis who killed an American in Baghdad.
