Terrorism charges dropped against ex-Iraqi officials

By Ahmed Rasheed

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Prosecutors dropped charges on Monday against a former Iraqi deputy health minister accused of abusing his position to allow sectarian killings, a prosecution source and defence lawyers said.

Hakim al-Zamili, a member of powerful Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr's political movement, was the first senior Iraqi official to face terrorism charges since the U.S.-led invasion to topple Saddam Hussein in 2003.

Zamili was being tried with Brigadier-General Hameed al-Shimari, the Health Ministry's former chief of security.

About eight people had filed charges accusing the pair of corruption and masterminding the kidnappings and killings of family members. Both men denied the charges.

The trial, which began on Sunday, was seen as a test case of the Shi'ite-led government's willingness to prosecute senior officials accused of fomenting sectarian bloodshed.

"The court has decided to release both Hakim al-Zamili and Hameed al-Shimari for lack of evidence. All testimonies heard by the court were not strong enough to convict them," a prosecution source said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

The source and defence lawyers said the two men had been escorted from the court by U.S. forces after the proceedings. A U.S. military official said later they were not in U.S. custody.

Zamili's lawyers, who had previously said both men were innocent, said the charges were dropped for a lack of evidence and witnesses.