Baghdad, August 23: Five members of Iraq’s security forces accused of robbing a bank and killing security guards stood trial Sunday in a session disrupted by angry outbursts from relatives of those killed.
One relative attacked a defendant and another was dragged from the courtroom screaming obscenities.
Gunmen broke into the state-run Rafidain Bank at about 4 a.m. on July 28, killing three on-duty guards and five others on the premises who were either on a break or asleep, according to police investigators. The bank’s chief testified Sunday that 5.6 billion Iraqi dinars — or about $4.8 million — was stolen.
The case has come to illustrate the problem of rising crime in Iraq and raised concerns about the professionalism of Iraq’s security forces.
All five defendants were identified Sunday as members of Iraq’s security forces — four police officers and one soldier. The men, who were dressed in brown jumpsuits, denied any involvement in the robbery.
“We have nothing to do with the robbery,” two of the men yelled at the judge, who ordered them to “be silent.”
Minutes later, a relative of one of the slain guards attacked one of the defendants, beating him and cursing, while another man was forced from the courtroom after screaming obscenities at the men.
One woman, who later identified herself as the mother of one of the dead guards, spit on the defendants as they left the court. She fainted outside the courtroom and was carried away by police.
Relatives were also angry at the chief judge for adjourning the trial at Baghdad’s criminal court until Thursday to give the three-judge panel more time to investigate.
The chief judge ordered the five suspects held without bail. The judges were not identified, according to the rules of the court. Judges in Iraq are often targeted for assassination.
Maan Hussein, the head of the bank, told the judges Sunday that about 5.6 billion Iraqi dinars was stolen. Initially, police had said the gunmen made off with 8 billion Iraqi dinars ($6.9 million).
Most of the money was later recovered in the office of a newspaper owned by Iraqi Vice President Adel Abdul-Mahdi, a senior member of Iraq’s largest Shiite party, investigators said.
Abdul-Mahdi has denied any involvement but said one of those charged in the robbery worked as part of his security detail.
Hussein said 263 million dinars (about $223,000) has still not been recovered.
Police have said some of the robbers remain at large.
Abbas Hussein, whose brother was killed during the robbery, said outside the courtroom that he wanted swift justice.
“Today’s trial should not make us forget the others who are still at large,” he said.
–Agencies