The Krekar deportation case has now reached the Supreme CourtControversial mullah Krekar says he wants to stay in Norway - but would have been fighting in 'some war or other' if he still had his passport - as his Supreme Court hearing continues.
| The mullah Krekar case |
| 1991: Krekar arrives as a quota refugee, settles in Norway and his family is reunited in Norway. After securing passports the family returns to Iraq. His wife and four children are now Norwegian citizens. 1991-2001: Despite his refugee status in Norway Krekar repeatedly returns to Iraq to organize a militant Islamistic movement in the Kurdish areas of North Iraq with the goal of establishing an Islamic state. 2001: Ansar al-Islam is formed, with Krekar as leader. The group is accused of holding training camps for al-Qaida. 2002: Krekar comes to public attention in Norway after an NRK (Norwegian Broadcasting) documentary and he claims he no longer heads Ansar al-Islam. 2003: Minister of Local Government and Regional Development Erna Solberg decides that Krekar should be formally deported for violating the conditions of his asylum and for posing a threat to national security. In March Krekar is arrested and jailed under the Terrorism Act but is released on lack of evidence and the case is eventually dropped. 2004: Krekar is charged with assisting attempted murder and suicide bombing but charges are eventually dropped. 2005: Oslo municipal court rules that the deportation order is valid. 2006: Borgarting court of appeals upholds the Oslo decision. In December mullah Krekar appears on the United Nations' terrorist list. 2007: October - The deportation order is tried in the Supreme Court. Sources: Aftenposten, Dagbladet and NTB |
| Related stories: |
| Mullah Krekar linked to pro al-Qaida sites - 09.10.2007 |
| Krekar back in court - 13.09.2007 |
| Krekar tops terrorist lists - 08.12.2006 |
| Government to assess Krekar's freedom of movement - 29.11.2006 |
| Krekar can be expelled - 22.11.2006 |
| Will never go - 31.10.2006 |
| Expelling Krekar can take years - 25.07.2006 |
| Krekar feared CIA plot - 19.07.2006 |
| Iraqi deportations begin, except Krekar's - 19.07.2006 |
| Krekar honors al-Zarqawi - 22.06.2006 |
| Krekar's mother-in-law granted residence permission - 04.04.2006 |
| Iraq wants Krekar extradited - 09.09.2005 |
| Krekar threatens Norway - 06.09.2005 |
| Islamic 'warriors' urged to protect Krekar - 13.07.2005 |
"I go to the mosque once a week and have no other contact with the outside world. If I lose this case (to remain in Norway) this life continues. If they (Norwegian authorities) hadn't taken away my passport I would have gone out and taken part in some war or other and been killed by the Americans," Krekar said in Persian, and laughed.
At the same time he told the Supreme Court that he feared for his life if he was required to return to Iraq, as Norwegian authorities insist.
NRK (Norwegian Broadcasting) reported that Krekar reversed his position on an Islamistic web site linking to pro al-Qaida sites, and admitted that he contributed material to it.
On Tuesday mullah Krekar refused to answer questions from the press in Norwegian or English, insisting on speaking in either Arabic, Kurdish or Persian in order to avoid being misunderstood.
The Supreme Court is considering the validity of the order to expel Krekar, who currently cannot be returned due to the situation in Iraq, where Norwegian authorities feel his safety cannot yet be guaranteed. In the meantime Krekar has had his permission to reside and work in Norway revoked, and lost his passport and voting rights.
Krekar said he could not understand how he was a threat.
"In recent years I have been in court over 35 times, been questioned 10 times by the FBI and other services and they have not found a thing," Krekar said.
Krekar told Aftenposten that he has done nothing illegal, regrets nothing he has said or done in Norway, and argued that he has become a political issue.
Krekar has been ruled a danger to national security as well as having violated the Immigration Act by returning to Iraq after being granted asylum in Norway. His lawyer Harald Stabell called his client a victim of a political game and argued that the court must decide if he truly posed a threat to national security.
The Supreme Court case is scheduled to end on Friday.
Roald Ramsdal and Arasj Nejad
Aftenposten English Web Desk
Jonathan Tisdall
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