Haider Hanoun, the head of Iraq’s Integrity Commission, formally urged the United States and Britain to extradite the office manager of former Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi, the ex-chief of the Intelligence Service, and the former finance ministers. They are all implicated in the infamous tax trust case, widely known in the media as the “Theft of the Century.”
The Karkh Second Court in Baghdad has issued arrest warrants for Raed Hawji, former head of the Intelligence Service, Ali Allawi, finance minister of the prior government, and Ahmed Najati, office manager of the former Prime Minister.
In a statement, Judge Hanoun, President of the Iraqi Integrity Commission, highlighted that red notices have been issued against these former officials, emphasizing that each allegedly misappropriated no less than 100 billion dinars. At a press conference in Baghdad, Judge Hanoun stressed, “The tax trust case is the largest corruption case uncovered to date. Its nature, blending treachery with corruption, suggests that the theft was not solely for personal gain but aimed to erode public trust in the state and its institutions.”
Hanoun affirmed, “The tax trust theft case will not be forgotten. We tell the perpetrators not to bank on time erasing their crimes from our collective memory. Your days enjoying the stolen Iraqi funds outside bars are numbered. We will do everything to ensure your arrest and ensure your appearance before just prosecution, to retrieve the embezzled funds.”
Hanoun appealed to countries where those wanted for the tax trust theft have taken refuge, urging cooperation with the Federal Integrity Commission and the Arab and International Police Department at the Ministry of Interior to facilitate their extradition and return of the stolen assets. According to Judge Hanoun, Interpol’s red notices include the office manager of the Prime Minister and the head of intelligence from Mustafa Al-Kadhimi’s previous government, as well as the special secretary from that era – all of whom hold American citizenship. Furthermore, a red notice has been issued for the former Finance Minister, Ali Abdul Amir Allawi, a British national, identifying him as a major suspect.
The head of the Iraqi Integrity Commission has called on relevant authorities in the US and the UK to execute the arrest warrants as per Article 316 of the amended Iraqi Penal Code No. 111 of 1969. He expressed hope that both countries would demonstrate their commitment to supporting the Republic of Iraq in combating corruption by actively assisting in the extradition of the named individuals and the recovery of embezzled assets.
