(AFP Photo)
Deputy Chairman of the Freedom and Justice Party (FJP) Essam Al-Erian called for the trial of opposition leader Mohamed ElBaradei for his alleged involvement in the United States’ 2003 invasion of Iraq.
The parliamentarian said those responsible for facilitating the invasion by claiming Iraq possessed weapons of mass destruction (WMDs) and then justified the invasion in hindsight, should stand before the International Criminal Court in the name of global reform.
ElBaradei was the director general of the Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) from 1997 to 2009, during which he received the Nobel Peace Prize in 2005. Starting in 2002, he led delegations of weapons inspectors to Iraq, telling the United Nations Security Council the following year that Iraq had not attempted to acquire uranium, as had been reported.
He continuously denied the existence of solid evidence that the Iraqi government possessed WMDs and was an outspoken critic of the US-led invasion of Iraq.
The coordinator of the National Salvation Front (NSF) provided three stipulations for engaging in dialogue with President Mohamed Morsi’s government during an economic conference organised by Al-Tayar Al-Sha’aby.
ElBaradei stated the opposition would agree to meet Morsi if he sacked current Prime Minister Hesham Qandil and formed a new neutral government prior to elections. Secondly, he demanded the legal appointment of a new prosecutor general through the Supreme Council of the Judiciary. Thirdly, ElBaradei stated that a new committee should be formed to draft a new and fair elections law.
The NSF had previously announced its boycott of parliamentary elections unless the president delivered on the umbrella group of opposition party’s demands.
