CORRUPTION INVESTIGATION: Official renounces ties to coalition after raids

[Lou_C]

CORRUPTION INVESTIGATION: Official renounces ties to coalition after raids
BY HANNAH ALLAM AND ROBERT MORAN
FREE PRESS FOREIGN CORRESPONDENTS

May 21, 2004



BAGHDAD, Iraq -- Ahmad Chalabi, the Iraqi Governing Council member who was once the linchpin of the Bush administration's plans for a new Iraq, said Thursday that he's severed ties with the U.S.-led coalition after a raid at his Baghdad mansion.

Chalabi told journalists his relationship with occupation authorities is now "nonexistent" after U.S. soldiers and intelligence officers sent Iraqi police inside his home to confiscate computers, weapons and other equipment.

Coalition officials said authorities sought to arrest several people on matters such as fraud and kidnapping. They did not give details. Chalabi wasn't among those named in arrest warrants.

Dan Senor, spokesman for the U.S. Coalition Provisional Authority, said U.S. soldiers were present but did not take part in the raid. He declined to comment on U.S. relations with Chalabi.

The concerns:


There were allegations of what one official called "rampant corruption" by some of Chalabi's allies and underlings in Iraq, including stealing cars, demanding bribes from companies seeking bids on contracts in Iraq and seizing houses and other properties.


http://www.freep.com/news/nw/raid21_20040521.htm

[Don_G]

1. You Think Dimbo

Caught a cat in his sweater and everything is unraveling?

[pacifictiger]

2. the senate has been questioning

why chalabi has been still on the us payroll. Maybe this is bush's attempt to sever the $$ relationship with him in exchange for getting the new senate$$ funding request and also to try to shore up slipping GOP votes.

[DoYouEverWonder]

3. Guess Chalabi won't get to sit

behind Laura at the SOTU next year?

Oh well, Laura won't be at the SOTU next year either, because it's going to be President Kerry making the address.

[dArKeR]

4. "Chalabi's allies and underlings" = Haliburton and Cheney