The Sunni vice president of Iraq was found guilty of running hit squads against Shiites and security forces in the country and sentenced to death in absentia Sunday. Tariq al-Hashemi has denied the charges against him and is in exile in Turkey, where he fled earlier this year. Former bodyguards for al-Hashemi said he ordered and paid them to carry out attacks against his enemies. Al-Hashemi has been accused of having a hand in 150 violent plots over a six-year period. On Sunday the vice president was convicted along with his son-in-law in two murders and acquitted in a third case.