Officer convicted in Iraq killing of frequent militia critic

By QASSIM ABDUL-ZAHRA and YASMINE MOSIMANN
Associated Press

BAGHDAD (AP) — An Iraqi police officer has been convicted and sentenced to death in the killing a prominent security analyst and frequent critic of Iran-backed militias. Sunday’s ruling came nearly three years after the Iraqi analyst was gunned down outside his Baghdad home following threats from militias. The family of the victim said it supports the verdict, but expressed concern it could be overturned on appeal. One relative alleged that those who ordered the killing remain at large. The defendant had confessed in a video released after his arrest, but did not acknowledge any links to armed groups.