Iraq’s top court rules to oust the speaker and a rival lawmaker from Parliament

By QASSIM ABDUL-ZAHRA and ABDULRAHMAN ZEYAD
Associated Press

BAGHDAD (AP) — Iraq’s top court has ruled that the speaker and a rival lawmaker should be ousted from the country’s Parliament, following a high-profile feud between the two men. The Federal Supreme Court says in a statement it has decided to terminate Parliament Speaker Mohammed al-Halbousi’s membership in Parliament along with that of lawmaker Laith al-Dulaimi. It did not give a reason. Halbousi has been the highest Sunni official in Iraq. The court decision came against the backdrop of a dispute between Halbousi and Dulaimi. Dulaimi had filed a lawsuit against Halbousi claiming that the speaker had forged Dulaimi’s signature on a resignation letter _ an allegation that Halbousi has denied.