Nuri al-Maliki, Iraq's prime minister, has ordered the country's second largest university shut for a week in an effort to bring student politics under control.

Al-Maliki says sectarian activities are disrupting education at the school and the government has said it believes political groups have been infiltrating universities around the country.

But critics of the move say the order is a government attempt to ensure the university is run by the prime minister's supporters.

Owen Fay reports.