Al-Nujaifi: Any attempt to make this crisis look like it's the result of a personal or political conflict, or as though it happened because the political parties in Iraq couldn't reach an understanding, is wrong. It's also an over simplification. The many demonstrations and sit-ins in Mosul during the months before the security crisis were also protests against the leaders of the country's Sunni Muslims.
One could consider the protests an alarm about the whole political situation in Iraq. What we wanted was to bring civilians who were angry back into the political debate, to make them into a genuine political opposition. But unfortunately al-Maliki closed the door to any kind of political action and pushed those angry people to arm themselves.
NIQASH: We heard that an arrest warrant had been issued for you?
Al-Nujaifi: Yes, this is true. The background to this involves the Shiite Endowment's attempt to confiscate properties run by the Sunni Endowment [the endowments are bodies tasked with running and maintaining, respectively, Shiite or Sunni mosques and shrines] in Ninawa.
To avoid sectarian strife, I asked the provincial council to look at this matter within a legal framework. But the lawyer for the Shiite Endowment claims that I don't have a proper residential address so I was not notified about the case. Then he claimed I refused to attend court – and that's why the arrest warrant was issued. I am dealing with this through lawyers.
NIQASH: How involved are you with the resistance movement that's building against the IS group inside Mosul?
Al-Nujaifi: I am not personally leading any of the fighting or the militias. But I do know their leaders and I also know the battalions are collaborating and communicating with official bodies in the area and in Baghdad.
Their work requires the utmost secrecy. It shouldn't be publicized at all.
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