Turkish Newspaper: Turkey grants Hashimi residence permit

(IraqiNews.com) The Turkish Hurriyet Newspaper stated on its website that “Turkey has given the judicially wanted Vice-President, Tariq al-Hashimi, and his team a permenant residence permit.”

The newspaper cited “The Iraqi Vice President Tariq al-Hashimi, who is wanted under an Interpol red notice on charges of financing terrorist attacks in Iraq, has been given a Turkish residence permit.”

“Hashimi and his team, including bodyguards, were given residence permits because of the visa problems they have been experiencing in Turkish airports,” the newspaper added, noting that, “Hashimi fled to Turkey after a warrant was issued for his arrest in Iraq on the grounds that he supported terrorist activities there. The Interior Ministry took action to prevent Hashimi from having illegal status in Turkey after his 90-day visa expired. His visa began on April 9, 2012, the day he came to Turkey from northern Iraq. Hashimi has been living in the Ba?ak?ehir neighborhood of Istanbul and undergoing medical treatment.”

The newspaper assured “Due to Turkish law, foreigners are not allowed to stay in Turkey for more than 90 days without an entry and exit if they don’t have a residence permit,” pointing out, “Hashimi is currently visiting Doha and holding talks with Nawaf Fares, the former Syrian ambassador to Baghdad who defected around three weeks ago, the Daily News has learned.”

“During their meetings in Doha, Nawaf Fares claimed that al-Maliki had released a number of al-Qaeda members from Iraqi prisons to be deployed in Syria upon the request of Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad, the Iraqi source said. The Hurriyet Daily News could not immediately verify the claims,” the Newspaper concluded.