Iraq ex-minister denies graft charges, slams govt

[sabra]

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L08830328.htm

Iraq ex-minister denies graft charges, slams govt

DUBAI, Jan 8 (Reuters) - A former Iraqi minister who escaped a Baghdad jail last month said on Monday that corruption charges against him had been trumped up by a Shi'ite-led government which he said was ruling the country along sectarian lines.

Ayham al-Samarraie, electricity minister in the former transitional government of Iyad Allawi, said he was being punished for his opposition to Iranian influence, but would not be forced out of the political process.

"Because I said that we have to talk to the Baathists, we have to talk to the insurgents, we have to bring back the Iraqi army and security and police because they can fix the country ... I got a lot of enemies on the Iranian side," he told a news conference in the Gulf Arab city of Dubai.

"The Iraqi government now is a sectarian government ... Some of them represent Iran more than Iraq."

Samarraie, a secular Sunni who spent years in exile in the United States and holds dual Iraqi and U.S. citizenship, flew to Jordan after escaping from jail with the help of what he said "were a group of Iraqis and foreigners including Americans".

[Missy M]

1. This whole affair sounds very fishy to me....

is he working with the Bush Administration to set up Iran for an attack? The group who helped him escape includes Americans, now we are in the business of helping prisoners escape.

[maddezmom]

2. and he flew on a US military plane to Jordan

something is off here

[Kagemusha]

3. Probably an intel asset then.

I'd heard he was walked out without a shot fired by an American security contractor in his employ. Sounds like what spooks would use as cover. Who knows whose though (CIA, Rummy...)

[maddezmom]

4. that's what I'm thinking, too...here's an earlier link

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x2665377