Iraqi prosecutors have issued arrest warrants against five ministers from the US-backed government of the former Iraqi prime minister Ayad Allawi over the misappropriation of military procurement funds.
The charges related to allegations that millions were spent on overpriced deals for poor quality weapons and military hardware in order to launder cash.
The ministers include Hazem Shaalan, the former defence minister, who moved to Jordan shortly after the new government was installed. Arrest warrants had also been issued for Mr Allawi’s labour, transportation, electricity and housing ministers and 23 former defence ministry officials, according to Ali al-Lami of Iraq’s integrity commission.
The warrants allege that $1bn (£570m) disappeared in the period from the establishment of Mr Allawi’s interim government in June 2004 to the formation of the Shia-led administration of Ibrahim al-Jafari in April this year.
Mr Allawi, Iraq’s first post-Saddam prime minister, was a US appointee who held power after the disolution of the US-run Coalition Provisional Authority and exit of Paul Bremer, the US administrator.
How about a remake of Oliver featuring Dick Cheney in the role of Fagan?
Mr al-Lami told the Associated Press that an attempt was underway in parliament to strip Mr Shaalan of his immunity from prosecution.
“The warrant was issued against Shaalan due to the corruption allegations regarding the missing $1bn in the Iraqi defence ministry. As soon as his immunity is lifted, the country where he is now living will be asked to extradite him to Iraq,” Mr al-Lami said.
These guys learned from the masters.
YOUR tax dollars at work
“Only” one billion? I thought the missings was 8 or 9 billion.
I’m sure the U.S. officials have some hand in this so when the public questions where all their tax money is going, they can use some ex-Iraqi official as a scapegoat. It’s those darn corrupt Iraqi’s wasting your money. As if the Bush administration can’t be blamed for irresponsibly handing over that much money at once so that it could be so easily “misappropriated” by another countries politicians. It all smacks of continuing incompetence, corruption and lies.