Iraq’s former defense minister arrested at Arlanda

– He has been wanted, arrested in his absence, for almost a year and a half, says prosecutor Jens Nilsson.

Najah al-Shammari contacted the Swedish Tax Agency in the spring of 2023 and announced that he had moved back to Sweden. He was then registered as a reimmigrant, but the Stockholm police have not been able to find him, according to TV4.

He is said to have been arrested on Monday when he landed at the airport and was caught by the border police.

– He was arrested yesterday. It was when he came to Sweden. It is the same investigation from 2019, says Jens Nilsson.

Najah al-Shammari, 57, was Iraq’s defense minister from 2019 to 2020.

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