Killers of Iraqi analyst Hisham Al-Hashimi arrested, says PM Al-Khadimi

Authorities arrested multiple people who were involved in the murder of Iraqi analyst Hisham Al-Hishimi, Iraq’s Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi said on Friday.

Al-Hashimi was killed near his home last July in the Ziyouna district of Baghdad by two gunmen riding a motorbike, after receiving threats from Iran-backed militias.

He was a leading expert on Daesh and other armed groups.

“We promised to capture Husham Alhashimi’s killers,” Al-Kadhimi tweeted. “We fulfilled that promise. We have arrested hundreds of criminals – murderers of innocent Iraqis like Ahmed Abdulsamad. We don’t care about media spin: we carry out our duties in the service of our people & in pursuit of justice.”

We promised to capture Husham Alhashimi’s killers. We fulfilled that promise. We have arrested hundreds of criminals – murderers of innocent Iraqis like Ahmed Abdulsamad. We don’t care about media spin: we carry out our duties in the service of our people & in pursuit of justice.

— Mustafa Al-Kadhimi مصطفى الكاظمي (@MAKadhimi) July 16, 2021

Iraqi state TV broadcast brief clips of what it said was the confession of one suspect, 36-year-old police lieutenant Ahmed Al-Kenani.

Wearing a brown jumpsuit, Al-Kenani confessed to shooting Hashimi dead using a pistol.

According to reported surveillance footage of the attack shown on state TV, Al-Kenani carried out the killing with three others, riding on two motorcycles.

Friday’s announcement marks the first reported arrests made over a murder that shocked the country, where killings of activists have surged over the last year or so.

Earlier this month, dozens of people gathered in central Baghdad to remember Hashemi, who was 47 when he was gunned down, holding pictures of the researcher and lighting candles.