Iraq's PM renews demand of int'l court to prosecute Baghdad bombers

The Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki on Monday demanded again for the United Nations to form a criminal court to prosecute those involved in the killing of Iraqis.

Maliki made his remarks during meeting with Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu who arrived in Baghdad earlier in the day on an official visit.

The Turkish foreign minister's visit is expected to defuse tensions between Iraq and Syria after Baghdad's allegations that Damascus was harboring insurgents responsible for the recent truck bombings in Baghdad.

"Iraq's stance is to go on demanding the UN to form an international criminal court to prosecute the perpetrators of these brutal crimes against innocent Iraqis and targeted the security and stability of Iraq," a statement from Maliki's office quoted him as saying.

Maliki reiterated Iraq's firm stance of demanding Syria to handover senior members of Saddam Hussein's Baath party whom Baghdad accused of plotting the deadly bombings in Baghdad and are still in exile in neighboring Syria, the statement said.

He also pointed out that since 2004, Iraq has been submitting to Syria names, documents and evidences about the insurgents' activities, including information about the Baathists, the statement added.

"Ninety percent of terrorists from different Arab countries have infiltrated to Iraq through Syria," Maliki said.

During his visit to Baghdad, Davutoglu also met with Iraqi President Jalal Talabani and his Iraqi counterpart Hoshyar Zebari to discuss bilateral relations in addition to the stand-off between Iraq and Syria.

Zebari told reporters at a joint press conference with his Turkish counterpart that the Iraqi leaders briefed the visiting minister about the insurgents' activities who are based in Syria and their relations with the deadly attacks in Iraq.

The international court which Iraq demand is not only targeting a certain country but also all the parties that involved in crimes against Iraqis during the past years, Zebari said.

"We understand the Iraqi point of view and I will leave to Syria soon to inform the Syrian side about the information I got here," Davutoglu told reporters.

Relations between Iraq and Syria deteriorated after Baghdad alleged that Damascus is sheltering suspects of the Aug. 19 massive bombings in Baghdad. Damascus said it wanted evidence from Baghdad.

On Aug. 25, Iraq recalled its ambassador in Damascus, and Syria retaliated within hours by recalling its ambassador from Baghdad.