Warrant against former Iraqi minister over corruption

An investigator in corruption issues in Iraq expected the issuance of a warrant of arrest against the former Iraqi minister Hazem al-Shaalan over the disappearance of more than USD one billion dollars from the budget of the ministry when he presided over it.

The chairman of the general commission for transparency Radi al-Radi said he handed over a file including evidence against Shaalan, who was a minister in the government of the prime minister Eyad Allawi, to the Iraqi central criminal court two months ago and a decision to detain him is expected very soon.

Al-Radi added he expects the court will issue within one week or ten days a warrant of arrest against Shaalan and other senior officials.

Shaalan who lives in Jordan and often visits London denied committing any violations. He said that all the decision he had undertaken were made at the consent of the American authorities by the ultimate end.

Amer al-Jantouli, one of his aids said from Amman that behind the accusations were political intention by Shaalan's enemies in an attempt to divert attention of the failure to improve the security conditions in Iraq.

He described the accusations as a cheap shot. He said that the committees of the ministry of defense were supervising all deals and follow up measures.