By Xinhua
Amman : Jordanian government spokesman Nasser Judeh said on Monday that Jordan is not ready to hand over Raghad, the eldest daughter of Saddam Hussein, to the Iraqi authorities.
“The extradition of Raghad has not been raised, because her presence in Jordan is for purely humanitarian reasons,” Judeh said at a weekly press conference.
“We will deal with this issue when it happens, but it isn’t on the agenda,” he said.
The international police organization Interpol released a “red notice” last Saturday, saying that Raghad is wanted by the Iraqi government for “crimes against life and health” and for inciting terrorism.
Judeh said that Raghad “is living in Jordan under the pledge of refraining from media and political activity and she abides by this pledge.”
“There are Arab and international procedures and conventions that govern the extradition issue,” he added.
Raghad fled to Jordan along with her sister, Rana, and their children in July 2003. Since last year, she has been on a list of41 people that the new Iraqi government is seeking to prosecute for supporting violence.
However, the Jordanian government has turned down the request by Iraq to hand over Raghad, insisting that to do so would violate Arab traditions of hospitality.