Iraq seeks aid from US, UK and Interpol to extradite corrupt officials

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: The Economist
11 Aug 2023 16:23
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The four senior Iraqi officials accused of corruption in the embezzlement of $2.5 billion from the Iraqi government currently reside in Dubai, the UK, and the US.

This photo from the Iraqi parliament shows Iraqi lawmakers attend a parliamentary session to vote on the federal budget at the parliament headquarters in Baghdad, Iraq, Sunday, June 11, 2023. (AP)

Interpol, the US, and UK have been urged to assist the Iraqi authorities, according to a report by The Economist, in arresting and extraditing four former senior government officials that reside abroad following the launch of a corruption investigation earlier last year.

Among the accused are a former finance minister, an intelligence chief, a senior advisor and a private secretary to former Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhemi. The former officials have been residing in Dubai, London, and Washington, according to The Economist.

Earlier in March, Iraq's judiciary issued arrest warrants for executors of Iraq's 'heist of the century' for aiding in the theft of $2.5 billion in public funds.

A judge in Baghdad "issued arrest warrants for four senior officials of the former government", the government's anti-corruption agency said in a statement.

At least $2.5 billion were stolen between September 2021 and August 2022 with the usage of cheques that were cashed by five companies. This money was withdrawn in cash from these companies' accounts, and most owners of these companies are on the run.

An official statement noted that the four former officials are accused of "facilitating the embezzlement of sums belonging to the tax authorities," adding that they were subject to an asset freeze.

Ever since Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani was appointed in October, he vowed to crack down on corruption.